These loaded Grilled Seafood Tater Tots are going to be one of the top ten things you will grill this year. The seafood topping drips over grilled tater tots to create a drool worthy dish that feels like you just stepped away from the food truck at the local brewery.
We were inspired by a food truck at one of our favorite breweries that was serving three different kinds of loaded tater tots.
We saw the menu and both laughed as we knew we would be quickly making this for the blog. Then we went a little crazy and made another food truck favorite of the Grilled Bacon Wrapped Tater Tot Bombs.
If you are firing up the grill for a neighborhood cookout or block party, rest assured – no one else is going to make these, and everyone will be your best friend.
🦞 Ingredients
Mixed Seafood | This is really flexible here and you should add what you like. Just make sure you have 8-10 oz of seafood. We chose lobster meat we got from our Butcher Box, a few pieces of squid, and a half of a piece of cod. Just chop the pieces in similar sizes.
Creole Seasoning | We love the little bit of kick from the Creole seasoning that added to the dip and a little sprinkle (optional) on the tater tots. The food truck we visited used Old Bay, which would be amazing if you don’t want to buy the Creole.
Tater Tots | We used standard frozen tater tots. Nothing special here.
Cheese | We used a mix of cheese for the seafood topping dip. We loved the extra little zip from the Pepper Jack but you could also use Habanero Cheddar Cheese or Buffalo Wing Cheese. The Monterey Jack helps make a smooth sauce that drips over the potatoes.
Remoulade | This is optional as we use it for serving. We purchased the Remoulade sauce from the seafood section of the grocery store.
🔥 Instructions
There are a few steps to make these and it is so simple. Remember that the seafood portion can be made ahead of time to cut down on any time crunch from the upcoming cookout.
Mixed Seafood
Step One: Set grill to medium heat and combine the chopped, mixed seafood, butter and ½ teaspoon of creole seasoning in a disposable aluminum pan.
Step Two: Grill for about ten minutes over direct heat, stirring often until the the seafood is opaque and fully cooked.
Step Three: Remove from the grill and set aside.
Seafood Dip Topping
Step One: Heat oven to 375 degrees and spray dish with non stick spray.
Step Two: Drain the mixed seafood from the butter and add to a bowl. Add cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, green onions and half of the cheeses. Stir well with a fork to combine.
Step Three: Add the dip to small baking dish and top with the rest of the cheeses. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling on top.
Grilled Tater Tots
Step One: Spray a disposable aluminum pan with nonstick spray and add the tater tots. Make sure there is just a single layer of potatoes.
Step Two: Grill the tater tots for about 20 minutes, stirring after 10 to make sure they are evenly toasty. You’ll see them start to darken as they near the end.
Step Three: Remove the tater tots from the grill and scoop them into mounds on your plate. Top that with a scoop or two of the Mixed Seafood Dip and drizzle with remoulade sauce to serve.
TIP: The remoulade sauce is OPTIONAL. We like a little bit of it and you don’t want to over-do it. Keep an eye on how salty it can become if you add too much. We made it three different ways, and our least favorite version was the one with a lot of remoulade sauce. Just a little bit will do for this recipe.
❗ Expert Tips
This is a great time to use up small portions of leftover fish that aren’t enough for a full serving or meal. Mild fish like the Grilled Snapper or Grilled Mahi Mahi would work great here.
Don’t over crowd the aluminum pan or the tots will steam rather than crisp up. You do want a little bit of crunch.
Consider making your own cream cheese from the Instant Pot with this one as well.
This recipe is so flexible if you are thinking of ideas for loading up your tater tots. Are you thinking Tater Tot Bar for your next block party? Top those with Beer Cheese Dip, Smoked Salmon Dip or Beer Corn Crack Dip.
Recipe FAQ
No, just place on an aluminum pan and start grilling. Keep the tots moving around so they don’t burn and cook evenly though.
Unfortunately, these do not store well at all. The dip makes the tots too soggy and it can become a mess. If you want to make these into leftovers, keep the dip and the tots separate. Reheat the tots in the Air Fryer or toaster oven and then top with reheated dip. That is the best way we found to serve leftovers.
Just about three days in the refrigerator in a sealed container.
It will separate in the freezer so we don’t suggest it.
Related Recipes
Grilled Seafood Tater Tots with Creamy Remoulade Sauce
Equipment
- Grill
Ingredients
Seafood Dip
- 8 oz Mixed Seafood we used lobster, cod and squid, chopped
- ½ tsp Creole Seasoning
- 2 tbsp Butter
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 8 oz Cream Cheese softened
- ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ tsp Onion Powder
- ¼ tsp Paprika
- 4 oz Pepper Jack Cheese
- 4 oz Monterey Jack Cheese
- 2 oz Parmesan Cheese
- ½ cup Green Onions sliced
Grilled Tater Tots
- 32 oz Tater Tots
- 2 tsp Creamy Remoulade Sauce purchased at seafood section of grocery store
Instructions
- Set grill to medium heat and combine chopped mixed seafood, butter and ½ teaspoon of creole seasoning in a disposable aluminum pan.
- Grill for about ten minutes, stirring often until the the seafood is opaque and fully cooked.
- Remove from the grill and set aside.
Mixed Seafood Dip
- While the tater tots are grilling, make the dip.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees and spray the dish with non stick spray.
- Drain the mixed seafood from the butter and add to a bowl. Add cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, green onions and half of the cheeses. Stir well to combine.
- Add the dip to small baking dish and then top with the rest of the cheeses and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling on top.
Grilled Tater Tots
- Spray a disposable aluminum pan with nonstick spray and add the tater tots. Make sure there is just a single layer of the potatoes.
- Grill the tater tots on direct heat for about 20 minutes, stirring after 10 to make sure they are evenly toasty.
- Remove the tater tots from the grill and make individual piles of mounds of tater tot. Add a scoop or two of the Mixed Seafood Dip to the top of the grilled tater tots and drizzle with remoulade sauce to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Jason’s been firing up the grill for over 30 years after graduating from the US Coast Guard Academy. His love of finely-grilled steak and chicken led him to buy his first Weber grill to put on his apartment patio in 1992. Each military move led to a new grill (a mixture of gas and charcoal) until he fell in love with the Big Green Egg in 2008. Since then, he has added another 4 grills to the collection. Yes, he has a problem. Jason loves smoking in the ceramic BGE with exotic woods including olive wood from Egypt and hard to find varieties such as sassafras and orange wood. Jason takes the term “foodie” to a whole new level, jumping at the chance to take food tours and cooking classes during foreign travels. These have provided inspiration to incorporate new ideas into recipes when he gets back home. He has been featured in Fox News, Parade, Yahoo News, Kansas City Living and more. After retiring from the military and moving to southwest Florida, he has focused grilling and smoking locally sourced meats and fish (read: he likes to catch his own fish!)
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