Loaded Nashville Hot Dill Pickle Potato Tots

Football season calls for seriously good game-day food, and these Loaded Nashville Hot Dill Pickle Potato Tots bring just about everything we want to the snack table: crispy potatoes, Nashville hot spice, cool ranch, tangy dill pickles, hot honey, fresh herbs, and an extra layer of crunch from Lentil Telepathy Dill Pickle Ranch Crunchy Toasted Lentils.

They’re spicy, tangy, crunchy and a little messy in exactly the way great football food should be.

Serve them as a game-day appetizer, put them out for a football watch party or tailgate, or add them to your lineup of cozy fall snacks when friends come over. They’re easy to make, easy to share, and considerably more interesting than putting another bowl of chips on the table.

A Game-Day Appetizer with Serious Crunch

We start with tater tots cooked until extra crispy, then toss them in a quick homemade Nashville hot sauce made with cayenne, smoked paprika, garlic, onion, coconut sugar, honey and apple cider vinegar.

Then come the toppings: dairy-free ranch, chopped dill pickles, fresh chives, fresh dill, hot honey and a generous handful of Dill Pickle Ranch Crunchy Toasted Lentils.

The combination is toooooo good.

You get heat from the Nashville hot sauce, cool creaminess from the ranch, acidity and tang from the pickles, a little sweetness from the hot honey, and then that salty, herby dill pickle crunch from the toasted lentils.

It hits just about every craving at once.

Why Put Crunchy Toasted Lentils on 'Taters?

Because crispy can always get crispier.

Potato tots give you that soft-potato-meets-crispy-edge texture, while crunchy toasted lentils add a completely different kind of crunch. Our Dill Pickle Ranch Crunchy Toasted Lentils also add another layer of pickle and ranch flavor, which makes them especially good with the fresh dill, chopped pickles and ranch in this recipe.

There’s a nutritional bonus, too. Lentils naturally provide plant-based protein, fiber, iron, folate and polyphenols, so you’re adding more than crunch to the platter.

Crunchy toasted lentils are one of our favorite ways to add texture to salads, soups, bowls and snacks like this one. Think of them as a crunchy topper you can sprinkle anywhere you might otherwise reach for croutons, chips or crispy onions.

For maximum crunch, add them right before serving.

The Nashville Hot Sauce

You can make the Nashville hot sauce while the tots cook, so this recipe comes together without much extra prep.

Warm avocado or olive oil with cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, coconut sugar, salt, black pepper and chili powder. A little honey rounds out the heat, while apple cider vinegar adds acidity.

And if you’re firmly on Team Pickle, swap the vinegar for pickle brine. We highly recommend it.

The sauce definitely brings some heat, but the ranch and pickles help balance it. If you prefer a milder game-day snack, simply reduce the cayenne and adjust it to taste.

How to Get Extra-Crispy Loaded Potato Tots

The secret is giving the tots one last blast of heat after adding the Nashville hot sauce.

First, cook the frozen tots according to the package directions until they’re as crispy as possible. Toss them gently with the warm Nashville hot sauce, spread them back onto a baking sheet, and broil for 2–4 minutes.

That quick broil helps the sauce cling to the tots while making those edges even crispier.

Transfer everything to a platter and add the ranch, chopped pickles, fresh herbs, crunchy toasted lentils and a drizzle of hot honey.

If you’re making these for a football party or fall gathering and they’ll be sitting out for a while, serve the ranch on the side and wait until just before serving to add the crunchy lentils.

That keeps every bite crispy.

Loaded Nashville Hot Dill Pickle Potato Tots Recipe

Makes: 4–6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25–30 minutes

Ingredients

Potato Tots

• 1 (15 oz) bag frozen tots

Nashville Hot Sauce

• ¼ cup avocado oil or olive oil
• 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tbsp smoked paprika
• ½ tbsp coconut sugar
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ⅛ tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or pickle brine

Toppings

• ⅓ cup Lentil Telepathy Dill Pickle Ranch Crunchy Toasted Lentils
• ½ cup dairy-free ranch, or to taste
• ½ cup dill pickles, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• Hot honey, optional

Instructions

1. Cook the frozen taters according to the package directions until golden and crispy.
2. While the tots cook, add the avocado or olive oil to a small saucepan over low heat.
3. Whisk in the honey, apple cider vinegar or pickle brine, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, coconut sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and chili powder.
4. Warm over low heat for 1–2 minutes, whisking constantly. Do not allow the oil to smoke or boil.
5. Transfer the cooked, crispy tater tots to a large bowl.
6. Pour the Nashville hot sauce over the tots and gently toss until evenly coated.
7. Spread the coated tots onto a baking sheet in a single layer.
8. Broil for 2–4 minutes, watching closely, until the sauce is sticky and the edges of the tots are extra crispy.
9. Transfer the Nashville hot tater tots to a serving platter.
10. Drizzle with dairy-free ranch, then top with chopped dill pickles, fresh chives, fresh dill and plenty of Lentil Telepathy Dill Pickle Ranch Crunchy Toasted Lentils.
11. Finish with a drizzle of hot honey, if desired.
12. Serve immediately while hot and crispy, with extra ranch on the side.

Make It for Your Next Game Day

If your idea of good football food involves something crispy, spicy, cheesy-or-ranchy, pickle-y and meant to be shared, put this one on the game-day menu.

The Nashville hot sauce brings the heat. The pickles and ranch cool things down. And the crunchy toasted lentils give the whole platter that extra salty, savory crunch that keeps everyone going back for another bite.

Made these Loaded Nashville Hot Dill Pickle 'Tater Tots? Tag @lentiltelepathy on social media. We’d love to see what you piled onto yours.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I serve with loaded potato tots or potato rounds for game day?

Loaded tots or rounds play well with just about any football spread. Pair them with wings, sliders, chili, veggie trays, dips or a big chopped salad. Since these Nashville Hot Dill Pickle Potato Tots already bring plenty of heat, tang and crunch, we like serving them alongside a few cooler, simpler options so there’s something for everyone.

What can I use instead of bacon bits on loaded tots?

If you want the salty crunch of bacon bits without the meat, crunchy toasted lentils are a surprisingly good swap. They bring a savory crunch while also adding plant-based protein and fiber. Our Dill Pickle Ranch Crunchy Toasted Lentils work especially well here because the pickle and ranch flavors are already built into the recipe.

What can I use instead of croutons or crispy onions for crunch?

Crunchy toasted lentils are an easy way to add crunch without reaching for the usual croutons or crispy fried onions. Sprinkle them over salads, soups, chili, grain bowls, baked potatoes, mac and cheese, avocado toast or even eggs. We obviously put them on tater tots, too.

What foods go well with dill pickle flavor?

Dill pickle flavor works especially well with potatoes, ranch, cheese, burgers, sandwiches, fried or roasted vegetables and anything spicy. The acidity of pickle flavor can cut through richer foods, while dill and garlic pair naturally with creamy flavors. It’s also why dill pickle and Nashville hot work so well together: tangy pickle helps balance the chile heat.

How do I make a game-day snack spread feel more interesting?

Mix up the textures and flavors rather than making everything heavy or fried. Start with something hot and indulgent, add something fresh, something creamy for dipping, and plenty of crunch. A great football snack spread might include loaded tots, vegetables and ranch, a hearty dip, fresh fruit, and bowls of crunchy snacks that people can grab by the handful.

Are lentils a good snack?

Yes. Lentils naturally contain plant-based protein and fiber, but they’re usually associated with soups, stews and curries rather than snacking. Toasting whole lentils until crunchy gives you an entirely different way to eat them: straight from the bag or sprinkled over other foods when you want an extra layer of savory crunch.