Tater Tot Nests – Super easy appetizer for your next party or family get-together. Everyone loves these crispy Tater Tot Nests filled with melted cheese, sauteed onions, and crunchy bacon crumbles. Top them with a little sour cream or ranch dressing. Your guests will be coming back for more, so make plenty. Use Baco-Bits instead of Bacon for a vegetarian alternative.
Key Takeaways:
- Perfect Party Appetizer: These Tater Tot Nests are a crowd-pleasing finger food, ideal for gatherings or family get-togethers.
- Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor: Made with frozen tater tots, cheese, onions, and bacon—easy to find and prep.
- SIS Method (Simple is Smart): The recipe follows a straightforward, step-by-step method that anyone can follow, even beginner cooks.
- Vegetarian Option: You can easily swap bacon with Baco-Bits or your favorite meatless alternative to make it vegetarian-friendly.
- Make Ahead & Freeze: These nests can be made in advance, refrigerated, or frozen, then reheated before serving—perfect for stress-free hosting.
- Customizable Toppings: Serve with sour cream, ranch, or blue cheese dressing—or get creative with your favorite dips and garnishes.
Overview
Looking for a crowd-pleasing, bite-sized snack that’s crunchy, cheesy, and totally addictive? These Tater Tot Nests are your new go-to appetizer for parties, potlucks, or casual get-togethers. Made in a mini muffin tin, each nest is filled with golden melted cheddar, sautéed sweet onions, and crispy bacon crumbles—like mini loaded potato skins with a tater tot twist! Add a dollop of sour cream, ranch, or blue cheese on top, and watch them disappear fast.
What makes them even better? They’re super simple to prep using the SIS (Simple is Smart) method—just a few ingredients, easy steps, and make-ahead and freezer-friendly tips to save you time. Plus, they’re easy to customize! Swap in vegetarian Baco-Bits and serve with your favorite dips for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’re hosting or bringing a dish to share, Tater Tot Nests always steal the show.
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Who doesn’t love crispy hashbrown potatoes? These Tater Tot Nests are flattened tater tots in a mini tart pan. Bake the nests until crisp and fill with yummy toppings. Think loaded potato skins with tater tots in place of the skins. Best of all, each nest is a single appetizer. Come party time; these bites of potato deliciousness are on the menu. YUM!
My SIS Method for a Delicious Tater Tot Nest Appetizer:
What do I Need for Tater Tot Nests?
These tater tot nests appetizers are super fun and simple. I say Simple is Smart SIS for a quick delicious, and simple appetizer.
Gather your ingredients:
- Mini Muffin Tin has 24 wells.
- 48 Frozen Tater Tots
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup diced sweet onions
- Six slices of bacon.
- One scallion (green tops only)
- 1/2 cup sour cream or ranch or blue cheese dressing for topping.
SIS Method for Making the Tater Tot Nest:
Here is how you make these yummy nests:
- Spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick spray.
- Saute the sweet onions until translucent.
- Cook the bacon until crispy and crumbly.
- Place two tots in each well of the mini muffin pan.
- Bake for 12 minutes.
- Use the Mini Tart Shaper to form a Tater Tot Nest.
- Bake another 12 minutes
- Add a tsp. of the cheese
- Bake another two minutes
- Let the nests cool a bit and remove them from the mini muffin pan. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Add a small amount of the sauteed onions and bacon crumbles.
- Bake another 10 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the outside.
- Serve with your favorite potatoes dip topper.
Storing and Freezing:
These tater tot nests can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to two days before reheating and serving. They also freeze well in an airtight container. You can freeze the unfilled nests or fill the nests, but don’t bake them after you fill them. Before serving, bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes for the unfilled frozen nests. Then add the filling and rebake until hot and crispy.
For filled nests, bake the frozen nests at 375 degrees on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for 15 minutes or until hot all the way through and golden brown color with crispy edges.
Serve immediately with your favorite potato topper.
FAQ:
Q: Can I make Tater Tot Nests ahead of time?
A: Yes! You can refrigerate them for up to 2 days or freeze them. Just reheat before serving for that perfect crispy bite.
Q: What if I don’t have a mini muffin tin?
A: You can try using a regular muffin tin, but the nests will be larger. Adjust the cooking time accordingly and ensure the tots are shaped firmly.
Q: Are these Tater Tot Nests vegetarian-friendly?
A: They can be! Simply replace the bacon with Baco-Bits or your favorite plant-based crumble.
Q: What’s the best way to reheat them?
A: For unfilled frozen nests: bake at 400°F for 10 mins, then fill and bake again. For pre-filled frozen nests: bake at 375°F for 15 mins or until golden and crispy.
Q: Can I add other toppings?
A: Absolutely! These are super versatile. Try jalapeños, shredded chicken, or a sprinkle of chives for extra flavor.
Q: Do I need to thaw the tater tots first?
A: Nope! Use them frozen—just bake and shape as directed in the recipe for best results.
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Tater Tot Nests - Easy
Equipment
- Mini Muffin Tins
- mini tart shaper
- This page contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click a link, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you
Ingredients
- 48 Tater Tots (Frozen)
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese - either white or yellow
- 1 cup diced sweet onions
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 scallion green part only for garnish
- ½ cup sour cream or ranch dressing for topping
Instructions
- Preheat The Oven to 425°F.
- Spray a mini muffin pan with a non-stick spray.
- Cook the bacon until crispy and then crumble into pieces. Set Aside.
- Saute the onions in a little butter until translucent and soft. Set Aside
- Add two frozen Tater Tots to each well.
- Bake Tater Tots for 12 minutes
- Use the Mini Tart Shaper to form a Tater Tot nest in each well.
- Bake the Tater Tot Nest another 12 minutes
- Add a tsp of grated cheddar cheese to each nest.
- Bake another 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Let the Nests cool slightly and then remove them from the wells and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Add a small amount of the sauteed onions and top with some bacon crumbles. (see notes)
- Bake another 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on the outside.
- Let cool for five minutes and serve with a dollop of sour cream or ranch dressing on top. Garnish with some diced scallion tops.
