Tater tots are one of those foods that seem obviously vegan. Potatoes, oil, salt. Done.

But depending on the brand and how they're cooked, a few sneaky ingredients can show up. Here's what to look for and which brands are safe.

What's In Tater Tots?

Tater tots in their most basic form are pieces of minced or shredded potato that have been seasoned, formed into nuggets, and fried. But are tater tots vegan?

The first question that is easily answered by anyone preparing tater tots is to find what oils are being used to cook them. It's easy to find out if the frying (or baking) method uses vegetable or animals fats, so avoiding the issue of consuming those products is relatively simple.

When getting the minced potato pieces to stick together, it's important to find out what caking ingredients and flavorings were used in the particular batch.

Tater Tots Ingredients List

In many pre-made and frozen bags of tater tots, it's easy to find out what ingredients were used. The most popular brand of frozen tater tots, Ore Ida, lists 8 ingredients on the bag:

• POTATOES
• VEGETABLE OIL (SUNFLOWER, COTTONSEED, SOYBEAN, AND/OR CANOLA)
• SALT
• YELLOW CORN FLOUR
• ONIONS
• DEXTROSE
• DISODIUM DIHYDROGEN PYROPHOSPHATE
• NATURAL FLAVORING

All of these ingredients are considered vegan, although the natural flavoring is not clear on if it is plant or animal based. If you look online, many homemade tater tots follow this basic ingredient list:

• russet potatoes
• flour
• spices to taste
• oil (for frying)

There are far fewer ingredients in the home recipe because there is no need to add preservatives to make the tater tots keep. Another added benefit of making tater tots at home is that you can season them as you please, making them flavorful and as interesting as you like.

So Are Tots Vegan?

With the lack of animal products not bearing any weight on making a decent batch of tots, tater tots are usually vegan. Overall, as long as you pay close attention to the oil that the tots are fried in and the seasonings, most tater tots fit vegan criteria. It's very easy to find tater tots that are made without animal products and animal products certainly aren't important to what makes a tater tot a tater tot so homemade ones can be made with no real deviation to the basic recipe.

Vegan Tater Tot Casserole

Now that we've established that tater tots are a comfort food that vegans can eat without worry, it's time to think about what else you can use tater tots in. Plain tots make a nice side dish, but you can make a whole (vegan) meal based around them too, including this great recipe by LaLa's Kitchen for a Vegan Tater Tot casserole (hot dish).

Ingredients:

• Homemade or frozen tater tots
• Frozen or fresh vegetables of your choosing
• 1 can Great Northern white Beans (or another bean of your choosing)
• Vegan cheddar "cheese" that will melt well
• Olive oil
• Unsweetened almond milk
• Flour
• Garlic salt / spices to taste

Recipe:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Start cooking your vegetables in a pot of water.

3. Line the bottom and sides of a glass casserole dish with tater tots. After oven is preheated, bake the tater tots for 10 minutes. Take them out after they cook and set the dish aside.

4. While the tots are cooking, make a "gravy" with the flour, olive oil, spices, and almond milk.

5. Drain canned beans and add them to the gravy. Add the cooked veggies and cheese to the mixture and combine.

6. Alternate layers of the veggie mixture and shredded cheese to the casserole dish and top with french fried onions.

7. Bake the casserole at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

8. Serve immediately!

Frozen Tater Tot Brands: Vegan or Not?

Not every bag in the freezer aisle is safe. Here's a quick breakdown of popular brands.

Ore-Ida (Most Varieties)

Ore-Ida's classic Tater Tots are vegan. The ingredients are potatoes, vegetable oil, salt, corn flour, dehydrated onion, dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate, and natural flavor. No dairy, no eggs. Some specialty flavors (like Loaded varieties) add cheese or bacon, so always check the label on flavored versions. You might also want to know: Is Lactic Acid Vegan.

Cascadian Farm Organic

These frozen tots are certified organic and use a short ingredient list: organic potatoes, organic sunflower oil, sea salt, organic onion powder. Fully vegan and easy to find at Whole Foods and most natural grocery stores.

Alexia Organic Yukon Select Puffs

Alexia makes an organic version that's vegan. Ingredients are organic potatoes, organic sunflower oil, sea salt. Simple and clean. Their Crispy Seasoned variety is also vegan, but watch out for any garlic parmesan or cheese-flavored options. For a deeper dive, see our guide on Is Sherbet Vegan. Curious about similar foods? Read about Are Spring Rolls Vegan.

365 by Whole Foods Market

The Whole Foods store brand tots are vegan. Potatoes, sunflower oil, salt, dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate. Affordable and reliable.

Ordering Tater Tots at Restaurants

Frozen tots at home are easy to vet. Restaurants are trickier. Here are the things to ask before ordering.

What oil are they fried in? Most restaurants use vegetable oil for their fryers, but some still use beef tallow or lard. Fast food chains usually post their allergen info online so you can check ahead of time.

Is there a shared fryer? If the restaurant fries chicken, fish, or other meat in the same oil as the tots, some strict vegans prefer to avoid cross-contamination. This is a personal call.

Any seasoning or coating? Some restaurants toss tots in parmesan, butter, or ranch after frying. Ask for them plain if you're unsure about the seasoning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Sonic tater tots vegan?

Sonic's regular tots are made from potatoes, vegetable oil, and seasoning. No animal-derived ingredients appear on their allergen info. However, Sonic fries everything in shared fryers, so cross-contamination with meat products is possible.

Do tater tots contain dairy?

Standard tater tots do not contain dairy. The base recipe is just potatoes, oil, and salt. Loaded or cheese-flavored varieties will have dairy, so stick with the original/classic versions.

Are sweet potato tots vegan?

Most sweet potato tots are vegan. Brands like Alexia Sweet Potato Puffs use sweet potatoes, sunflower oil, cane sugar, sea salt, and spices. No animal products. They make a nice change from regular potato tots if you want something different.

Can you make tater tots in an air fryer?

Yes, and they come out crispier than oven-baked. Cook frozen tots at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. No oil needed since the tots already have oil in the coating. Air frying is the best method for getting that deep-fried crunch without actually deep frying.

Conclusion

Tater tots are a quickly cooked, incredibly satisfying, and yes, generally vegan way to eat a potato (unlike French fries at some chains). You should still be aware of what makes up the batter for the tater tots you're eating and what oil they are being fried in. Be sure to ask if someone else is cooking them for you! The safest bet is to make your tater tots at home, so here's a great recipe to get you started. Do you have a favorite tater tot recipe or a dish that uses tater tots? Share yours in the comments below!