Recipe: Flamin’ Hot Tots

When you’re just having a “day” and that balanced dinner you were planning won’t do, let these Flamin’ Hot Tots come to the rescue. In my opinion, sometimes the best way to cheer yourself up is to cook something just for the fun of it.

These tots fit the bill. They’re quirky and playful, which is reason enough to keep a bag of frozen tater tots on hand at all times. Inspired by fiery Cheetos, they’re spicy, savory, and totally irresistible — especially when you serve them with a good-sized bowl of queso for dipping.

While these tots don’t actually contain Flamin’ Hot Cheetos (look to our fried chicken bites if that’s what you’re after), they’re heavily inspired by the spicy, cult-favorite snack. Frozen tater tots are tossed in a dry rub of sweet paprika, chili power, garlic powder, and cayenne, then roasted in a screaming-hot oven for much longer than the instructions on the bag will say. From all our tater tot-cooking experience, we feel pretty strongly it’s the only way to get them as crispy and golden-brown as we like them.

The tots come out of the oven with a nice reddish color, thanks to plenty of paprika, which we actually prefer to the neon red hue of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. We can’t forget what makes Cheetos, Cheetos, though, and that’s the cheese. To bring that cheesy element in, have a bowl of queso nearby for dipping, whether you make it yourself or simply warm up your favorite jar from the store.