Crispy Tater Tot Potato Salad
Tater Tot Potato Salad gets an extra crispy upgrade with this version of the viral recipe. Smashed golden tater tots are folded into a creamy herb dressing with fresh dill, pickles, celery, red onion, and lemon. It’s a flexible, last-minute side dish that's perfect for summer cookouts and backyard gatherings.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For the Crispy Tots:
- 30 ounces frozen tater crowns or tater tots
- Cooking spray
- Kosher salt
For the Dressing & Mix-Ins:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh dill chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ½ cup dill pickles chopped (from whole pickles or spears)
- 2 stalks celery diced
- ½ small red onion finely diced
Instructions
- Add mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper to a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Fold in fresh dill, parsley, chopped pickles, celery, and red onion. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spread tater crowns or tots in a single layer across two parchment-lined baking sheets to avoid crowding. Bake for 10 minutes to soften.
- Remove from oven. Spray the flat bottom of a drinking glass lightly with cooking spray. Press firmly on each tot to smash into a flat disc. Season generously with kosher salt.
- Return to oven and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, about 10 minutes longer than package directions, until edges are deep golden and extra crispy.
- Fold warm, crispy tots directly into the cold dressing. Stir gently to coat and serve immediately.
Notes
- Make-ahead tip: Prepare the dressing and mix-ins up to one day in advance and refrigerate. Bake the tater tots fresh just before serving and fold them warm into the cold dressing so they don't get soggy. The contrast of warm tots and cold herb dressing is part of what makes this recipe so good.
- Dry pickles: Pat pickles dry with a paper towel before chopping to remove excess moisture and keep the dressing from getting watery.
- Serving immediately: The tots will soften as the salad sits. Plan to serve within one to two hours of assembling for the best texture. Leftovers can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, though the tater tots will lose crispness in that time.
- Food safety note: Because this recipe contains mayonnaise, do not leave it out at room temperature for more than two hours, or one hour if outdoor temperatures are above 90 degrees F.
- Crowns vs. tots: Tater crowns (coin-shaped tots) are my preference over regular tots. Their shape smashes more evenly and the edges get extra crispy. Look for them near the tater tots in the freezer section.