Make Tater Tots Japanese Style For An Instant Umami Upgrade

On their own, tater tots are kind of a perfect freezer food. They're crisp, comforting, and do exactly what you need them to do, but they can also become a much more exciting meal with just a few Japanese-inspired toppings. This idea takes its inspiration from okonomiyaki — the savoury Japanese pancake that is typically topped with a combination of a sweet and savory okonomi sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, seaweed, and bonito flakes. It turns out, those same toppings can be piled onto a tray of crispy tots for a show-stopping, umami-packed sharable dish (or a snack for one, no one's judging). 

To pull this off, first grab one of the best brands of tater tots in stores and cook them until they're crunchy, then arrange them in a bowl or serving plate. From there, drizzle generously with mayonnaise. For the mayo that chefs think is the best, reach for Kewpie, although regular mayonnaise still works if that's all you have on hand. The okonomi sauce is another key step for a true, savory okonomiyaki flavor. This Japanese sauce has a sweet, umami, spicy, and slightly tangy taste, but if you can't find that then a drizzle of either tonkatsu, oyster, teriyaki, or even hoisin sauce can achieve similar results. And finally, scatter the whole plate with finely sliced scallions and shredded nori or furikake before adding a handful of bonito flakes, with their distinctive smoky and umami flavour, to really nail the okonomiyaki theme.

If this has inspired you to use frozen tater tots in ways that you have never thought of before, there are plenty of other Japanese-inspired combinations to try. For example, a tonkatsu version can be made by topping the tots with crispy fried pork cutlets, cheese sauce, and tonkatsu sauce. For something that is a bit more simple and straight forward (but still rich and savory), toss freshly cooked tots in some melted butter mixed with white miso. 

Heat lovers can mix Kewpie mayonnaise with a dash of sriracha and some lime juice, and drizzle that over the tots for a homemade creamy sauce that has a similar vibe to okonomiyaki sauce, just spicier. You could also lean into a more fully loaded, saucier direction by making your tots Japanese curry themed. Simply drizzle your crispy taters with a thick, ready-made Japanese curry sauce and then top them with cheese, chopped spring onions, pickled ginger, and an over-easy fried egg.

The trick, no matter what combination you ultimately decide to attempt, is to keep the saucy toppings relatively modest. If you're tossing your tots through a sauce like the miso-butter then keep it light; if you're drizzling thick condiments, drizzle with intention, not wild abandon. The idea is to enhance the crispy potato with some bolder flavors rather than bury the tots under so much liquid that they lose the very crunch that makes them so delicious in the first place.