If your kiddos are more inclined to eat foods in tater tot shaped form, then try making these Veggie Tater Tots! They're baked, not fried, and loaded with several veggies. These veggie tots happen to be vegan and gluten-free too, great for those with special dietary needs.
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Brussels sprouts tater tots
Most kids are not huge fans of Brussels sprouts, so what's the best way to get a few Brussels sprouts into their diet?? Hide them in their favorite foods! This veggie tots recipe uses 10 oz of Brussels sprouts, along with hidden bell pepper.
Kids often prefer to eat small tot-shaped foods, so making veggie tater tots is a great way to sneak some veggies into your kids and serve up a healthy snack or side dish.
While I admit that this recipe does require quite a bit of hands-on time and several steps, it makes a LOT of veggie tots. These tots freeze well and reheat well, so it makes a great meal prep recipe where you can spend an hour making these tots and then have healthy food in the freezer for your kiddos whenever someone is getting hungry!
Related recipes: Hidden Vegetable Recipes for Toddlers
Baked veggie tots
This recipe for veggie tots is baked, not fried, which is great for a healthy tater tot option. If you're trying you get your toddler to gain weight, you can choose to fry these in a pan in a healthy oil, such as olive oil or avocado oil.
If you're looking for an easier snack idea that is fried, not baked, try these mashed potato nuggets! They're a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
- 3 medium potatoes
- 10 oz brussels sprouts
- 2 garlic cloves (or use ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 2 green onions (or ½ small onion), finely minced
- 1 small red bell pepper (or any color - use yellow if you want to "hide" the vegetables more), seeds removed and chopped really small
- 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika (one of my favorite seasonings!!)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste (start with 1 teaspoon salt to taste)
Try this kid-friendly recipe: Taco Pinwheels
Equipment
For this recipe, you'll need:
- A pot to boil the potatoes (or you can microwave them instead, see instructions step 1 below)
- A potato masher
- A box grater to grate the Brussels sprouts and the garlic cloves
- A large skillet to sauté the veggies
- Large bowl
- A large baking sheet and parchment paper
- Olive oil sprayer (refillable or disposable) or brush for brushing the olive oil
Related recipe: Tuna Nuggets
Instructions
This recipe has a few steps, but it's quite simple. In summary, you'll cook and mash the potatoes, sauté the veggies, then combine everything together, form tots, and bake. Make sure to read the recipe through before getting started to know what you'll be doing.
Step 1: Cook the potatoes your preferred way: boil or microwave until a fork inserted in the middle goes through easily.
To microwave, do not peel at first! Poke holes with a fork or a knife, and microwave for 5-6 minutes. Test with a fork, and cook for another 1-2 minutes at a time, if needed. Make sure to use oven mitts when taking the potatoes out from the microwave, they will be HOT. Once cooled, peel the skin off the potatoes.
To boil, peel and chop the potatoes into large cubes. Boil for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fully cooked.
Step 2: While the potatoes are cooking, prep and chop the veggies: Grate the Brussels sprouts on the large side of the grater. Remove the seeds and pith from the bell pepper and finely chop it. Dice the green onions (or onion). Mince or grate the garlic on the micro plane size of the box grater.
Step 3: Heat a skillet over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Sauté the chopped green onions, minced garlic, and chopped bell pepper for about 5 minutes, or until they're softened.
Step 4: Add the grated Brussels sprouts and sauté for a couple of minutes just to soften the Brussels sprouts.
Step 5: Once the potatoes are cooled enough to touch safety, transfer the peeled potatoes to a LARGE bowl. Mash them with a potato masher.
Step 6: Stir in the sautéed veggies, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper. Mix well and give it a taste (remember, there are no raw ingredients in here so it's OK to taste) and adjust the flavor with salt, pepper, and/or garlic powder.
Step 7: Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray or brush with olive oil.
Step 8: Use your hands to form tots from the potato mixture. Place them on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 9: Bake for 20 minutes, carefully flip each tot, then bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden.
More kid-friendly side dishes: Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Fries
Time-saving tips
You can prepare the potato + veggie mixture in advance and keep it refrigerated in a sealed container until ready to make the tots and bake.
You can use instant mashed potatoes (prepare according to package instructions), but I really prefer the result with home-mashed potatoes that are just a little dryer and almost a little lumpy. It makes a better texture for these tots.
If you want, you can use thawed frozen hash brown mix instead of the potatoes - you'll need about 3 cups.
Related recipe: Kid-Friendly Cauliflower Nuggets
Freezing and reheating veggie tots
These tots freeze well once they're baked. To freeze, allow the tots to cool completely to room temperature. Freeze individually on a large plate or cutting board lined with parchment paper or wax paper. Once frozen, they can be transferred to a freezer-safe bag or storage container. Keep frozen for up to 1-2 months for best flavor and to prevent freezer burn.
To reheat refrigerated or frozen tots, pop them in a preheated (350F) oven for a few minutes (3-5 minutes for refrigerated tots, 10-12 for frozen tots). To reheat in an air fryer, cook refrigerated tots for 1-2 minutes, and frozen tots for 7-8 minutes (time will vary depending on your air fryer model).
Related recipe: Kid-Friendly Air Fryer Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Baked Veggie Tater Tots
These veggie tots are made with Brussels sprouts and tater tots—a great way to sneak in some hidden veggies! These tots are vegan and gluten-free and are baked, not fried. Make sure to read the whole recipe before getting started, and read the notes below for helpful cooking tips.
Ingredients
- 3 medium potatoes, cooked and peeled (see notes for tips)
- 10 oz brussels sprouts
- 2 garlic cloves (or use ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 2 scallions (or ½ small onion), diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped really small
- 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika (one of my favorite seasonings!!)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste (start with 1 teaspoon salt)
Instructions
- Mash the cooked, peeled potatoes in a large bowl.
- Grate the Brussels sprouts on the large side of a box grater.
- Prep the rest of the veggies: Remove the seeds and pith from the bell pepper and finely chop it. Finely mince the shallots (or onion). Mince or grate the garlic on the micro plane size of the box grater.
- Heat a skillet over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Sauté the chopped shallots, minced garlic, and chopped bell pepper for about 5 minutes, or until they're softened, stirring frequently.
- Add the grated Brussels sprouts and sauté for a couple of minutes just to soften the Brussels sprouts.
- Add the sautéed veggies, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper to the mashed potatoes. Mix well and give it a taste (there are no raw ingredients in here so it's OK to taste) and adjust the flavor with salt, pepper, and/or garlic powder.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray or brush with olive oil.
- Use your hands to form tots from the potato mixture. Place them on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 20 minutes, carefully flip each tot, then bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden.
Notes
- Use a yellow bell pepper if you want it hidden from picky eaters.
- How to cook the potatoes: In the microwave: do not peel the potatoes! Poke holes with a fork or a knife, and microwave for 5-6 minutes. Test with a fork, and cook for another 1-2 minutes at a time, if needed. Make sure to use oven mitts when taking the potatoes out from the microwave, they will be HOT. Once cooled, peel the skin off the potatoes. Boiling: peel and chop the potatoes into large cubes. Boil for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fully cooked.
- Time saving tips: 1) You can prepare the potato + veggie mixture in advance and keep it refrigerated in a sealed container until ready to make the tots and bake. 2) You can use instant mashed potatoes (prepare according to package instructions), but I really prefer the result with home-mashed potatoes. 3) You can use thawed frozen hash brown mix instead of the potatoes - you'll need about 3 cups.
- To freeze, allow the tots to cool completely to room temperature. Freeze individually on a large plate or cutting board lined with parchment paper or wax paper. Once frozen, they can be transferred to a freezer-safe bag or storage container. Keep frozen for up to 1-2 months for best flavor and to prevent freezer burn.
- To reheat refrigerated or frozen tots, pop them in a preheated (350F) oven for a few minutes (3-5 minutes for refrigerated tots, 10-12 for frozen tots). To reheat in an air fryer, cook refrigerated tots for 1-2 minutes, and frozen tots for 7-8 minutes (time will vary depending on your air fryer model).
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
40Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 20Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 56mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
The nutritional information provided is just an estimate and will vary based on the actual ingredients you use. If you are tracking nutrition for yourself or your child, check with a nutritionist, dietitian, or pediatrician about whether this recipe is right for you or your child.