Before beginning the recipe, here’s a very interesting insight about Tater Tots. I am sure you know, Tater tots were invented by an American frozen food Company, Ore-Ida, in the year 1953. Tater is short for potato. This recipe came into being when the founders were trying to figure out what to do with the leftover slivers of cut-up potatoes. They chopped up the slivers, added flour and seasoning and the product was first offered commercially in stores in 1956.
Now, what I found most interesting is that, originally these tots were inexpensive. People didn’t buy it because they thought it’s cheap. It’s when the company raised it’s prices, people began buying it. Human psychology can really be weird. 😄 Today, Americans consume approximately 70 million pounds. Can you imagine!!!
Overtime recipe was developed further and potatoes were substituted with other nutritious vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini.
These Homemade Tater Tots are way easier to throw together than I expected them to be, and my family loved them! So say goodbye to those frozen bags of tater tots. This homemade version is super easy to make, budget-friendly, and taste way better than store-bought!
So, here’s a healthy and a delicious twist on tater tots, made with nutrient-rich broccoli and crispy breadcrumbs, perfect as a side or snack.
Ingredients: for 30-35 tots
- 4 medium size boiled Potatoes
- 1/2 cup Sweet Corn Kernels
- 1 large head Broccoli, approx 350 grams
- 1 tbsp minced Garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup Bread Crumbs
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tbsp Chilli flakes (optional)
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)
- 90 grams of Cheddar Cheese, grated
Method:
- Grate boiled potatoes in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn kernels in boiling water. Keep aside for 10 minutes. You can use boiled fresh corn too.
- Grate 1 large head of broccoli. Add 1 tsp salt to it and keep aside for 20 minutes.
- Squeeze out as much water as you can from the broccoli. Coarsely blend corn in a blender. Just blitz for 10 to 15 seconds. (DO NOT ADD WATER). Add both broccoli and corn to the potatoes.
- Now add minced garlic, salt & pepper to taste, egg, bread crumbs, chilli flakes, Italian seasoning and grated cheddar cheese (you can add more). Mix everything well and form a thick paste. If it feels sticky, add more bread crumbs.
- Check for seasoning. Once ok, give it a cylindrical shape or any shape you like. Refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven at 200°C.
- Spray a nonstick baking sheet with oil. Alternatively, line baking tray with parchment paper and brush it with oil. Shape the mixture into tot shapes and spread them evenly on the sheet.
- Bake for 8–9 minutes. Flip and then bake for an additional 8–9 minutes on the other side until golden brown.
- Serve it with ketchup, mint chutney or tzatziki (hung curd dip). I personally enjoy them with tzatziki.
Enjoy!!! 🙂
