Clean Out The Fridge Tots
It can be really hard to manage your fridge stock right now, and inevitably every week I end up with odds and ends of vegetables that need to be used asap. You could throw them on a pizza, maybe make a minestrone, but my mind often wanders in the direction of tater tots. I made these tots earlier this week on a nice sunny day and actually cooked them on a grill pan outside, but you can make them in a frying pan or in the oven if you want. I will be on the Workman Instagram today making these, and I will post the link to the video here when it goes live.
My tot philosophy is simple, when I am making them with potatoes, I try and keep it just potato. When I use other veggies, it’s open season for mix-ins, and most of the mix-ins actually help the texture and flavor. All this info is in my tater tot cookbook!
I found a sweet potato, a yam, half an onion, a celery stick, and a carrot in the fridge. I roasted them all for about 15 minutes until mostly tender. More info about the veggie options down below.
After roasting and cutting them all, I mixed in breadcrumbs, dehydrated potato, grated parm and asiago, an egg, and some butter.
I made flat coin shaped tots and grilled them on a grill pan to get some nice browning.
I loved how they came out! The texture was awesome and the flavor was unique to any tots I had tasted before.
All the different veggies really helped create a great chunky texture
Clean Out The Fridge Tots
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds random veggies more info in instructions
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup potato flakes instant mashed potatoes
- 1 cup grated cheese any kind optional
Instructions
- If you are using broccoli or cauliflower or a simmilar veggie, roughly chop them, coat with oil and salt, and roast at 450 for about 12 minutes. Pulse in a food processor after cooled to make pea sized pieces.
- If you are using sweet potato/beets/carrots/celery/onion, or any simmilar veggie, roughly chop them, coat with oil and salt, and roast at 400 for about 18 minutes. Pulse in a food processor after cooled to make pea sized pieces.
- If you are using a wetter veggie like zucchini or want to add a fruit like apple, you need to pulse them in a food processor first, then put them out into a cheese cloth or kitchen towel. Season with a pinch of salt and allow to sit about a half hour, then use the towel to wring out as much moisture as possible.
- After the veggies are prepared, add them all to a bowl and add in the butter, egg, breadcrumbs, potato flakes, and cheese. Mix well.
- Form the tots, preheat a pan or grill pan with a little olive oil, and cook on medium high heat to brown on all sides.
- Serve with a dipping sauce, mine was just mayo, chili paste, and lime juice.
