Tots Gone Wild

I hear you. It’s Super Bowl Sunday and you have no idea what to bring to the big party. Let me just say this: tater tots; BBQ sauce; bacon. Oh yeah, bleu cheese dip. Read on fans.

On a large tin foil lined cookie sheet, arrange your frozen tater tots in neat little rows (hey, I’m OCD). Wrap each tot with a strip of cut bacon and place on cookie sheet seem side down. Repeat until all tater tots have a piece of bacon wrapped snuggly around them. Bake in a 400º oven for 20 minutes, or until the bacon starts to crisp. Remove from oven and liberally brush on the BBQ sauce on each tater tot. I’m serious — be generous with the sauce!! It adds great flavor. Cook another 10 minutes until sauce is sizzling with yumminess. Arrange the tots in neat little rows on a platter and serve with a bowl of bleu cheese dressing (btw, I have an amazing recipe for bleu cheese dressing right here on this blog!). Use your fingers when dipping — I tried using cute little forks but the tots fall apart. Plus, BBQ sauce is always finger licking good!!

Ingredients:

1 bag frozen Tater Tots
1 lb bacon, cut into 3 inch strips
1 bottle your favorite BBQ sauce
Bleu cheese dressing (see my recipe for Creamy Bleu Cheese Dressing in Salads and Dressings category)

Makes a whole lot of Tots Gone Wild if you use entire bag!

Tips for Success

These little guys disappear fast at any party, so it pays to get them just right. Regular sliced bacon works best for wrapping. Thick cut bacon is delicious, but it takes much longer to crisp and the tots can turn mushy before it gets there. Cut your strips with kitchen scissors right in the package. It is so much faster than a knife.

• Work with frozen tots. Wrap them straight from the freezer. Thawed tots get soft and fall apart when you wrap them.
• Seam side down. Placing the loose end of the bacon on the bottom keeps it from unwrapping in the oven. A toothpick works too if you need it.
• Leave a little space. Give each tot some room on the pan so hot air can circulate and the bacon crisps on all sides.
• Use a rack if you have one. Setting a cooling rack on the foil lined sheet lets the bacon fat drip away for extra crunch.

Ingredient Swaps and Variations

Switch up the sauce to match your crowd. A honey barbecue sauce is great for kids, while a spicy or smoky one is perfect for the grown ups. Try a light sprinkle of brown sugar over the sauce for a sticky, candied finish, or a dusting of chili powder for a little heat. Turkey bacon works, though it does not crisp quite as much. If bleu cheese is not your thing, ranch dressing makes a great dip too.

Make Ahead Tips for Game Day

You can wrap the tots up to a day ahead. Keep them covered on the cookie sheet in the refrigerator, or freeze the wrapped tots on the sheet and then move them to a freezer bag for up to a month. Bake from cold or frozen, adding a few extra minutes until the bacon is crisp. Brush on the sauce only when they come out for the second bake.

Serving and Food Safety

Bacon wrapped anything is best hot, so serve these as soon as they come out of the oven. If they will be sitting out on a buffet, do not leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Keep a second batch warm in a low oven and swap the platter halfway through the game. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat them on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes so they crisp up again, since the microwave makes them soft.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many does one bag make?

It depends on the bag size, but a standard bag usually holds around 80 to 90 tots, which is plenty for a crowd. One pound of bacon cut into strips is usually enough to wrap most of them.

Can I make them in an air fryer?

Yes. Cook in a single layer at 400 degrees F for about 10 to 12 minutes, brush with sauce, then cook 2 to 3 minutes more.

Mandy

Tots Gone Wild

Frozen potato tots wrapped in bacon, baked until crisp and brushed with barbecue sauce, served with bleu cheese dressing for dipping.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 bag frozen potato tots
• 1 lb bacon cut into 3 inch strips
• 1 bottle barbecue sauce your favorite
• bleu cheese dressing for dipping

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large cookie sheet with foil.
2. Arrange the frozen tots in neat rows on the cookie sheet.
3. Wrap each tot with a strip of bacon and place it seam side down on the sheet. Repeat until all the tots are wrapped.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the bacon starts to crisp.
5. Remove from the oven and generously brush barbecue sauce on each tot.
6. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes, until the sauce is sizzling.
7. Arrange the tots on a platter and serve with a bowl of bleu cheese dressing for dipping.

Notes

Use your fingers for dipping since the tots can fall apart on a fork.