These spaghetti squash tots are a healthier and delicious alternative to traditional tater tots and a great way to get an extra dose of vegetables into your diet.
I wasn’t kidding when I said that I’m currently obsessed with spaghetti squash right now. So far I’ve made cauliflower tots, zucchini tots and broccoli tots. So why not spaghetti squash tots? These are actually easier to make them some of the other vegetable tots because the spaghetti squash doesn’t retain as much water.
These bright yellow morsels were so good! I only made a small batch, but if you’ve got a lot of mouths to feed, you’ll probably want to double or even triple the recipe.
If you’re unfamiliar with cooking spaghetti squash, I have a step-by-step tutorial here.
Spaghetti Squash Tater Tots
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups packed cooked spaghetti squash (see note)
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs (see note)
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Roughly chop spaghetti squash into small pieces so that it resembles shredded squash. In a large bowl, add all ingredients. Mix with a spoon until everything is thoroughly combined and all the of the mixture is moistened.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of squash batter and squeeze tightly between the palm of your hand a few times. This should release some liquid which will further moisten your mixture as well as allowing the mixture to compact and stick together easily. Gently shape to resemble a cylinder. Place onto a baking sheet and repeat with remaining mixture. Space tots about 1/2 inch apart. You should be able to make about 25 tots.
- Bake for about 18-20 minutes until bottoms are golden brown and crispy. Flip over and bake for another 3-5 minutes. Serve warm with dipping sauce of your choice.
Notes
- If you're unfamiliar with cooking spaghetti squash, I have a step-by-step tutorial here.
- Please use panko for best results. If you use regular breadcrumbs, you will need to use less.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Since we like crispy tots, I will squeeze the extra liquid from my squash prior to chopping it. ; )
That sounds great, let us know how it worked for you!
They turned out sooo good! I ended up using the “powdered” parm and was not disappointed. Was worth the extra step to squeeze out the liquid using a flour sack towel.
We’re so glad to hear that!!
I just made a batch of your spaghetti squash tater tots….and I live alone…so I won’t use them all in one sitting. Can I freeze some and if so, how would I reheat them?
Yes, you can freeze them. If you have an air fryer they reheat great in one or you can warm them in the oven.
I was also wondering if another cheese like ricotta would work too. Might keep them a little more moist. Going to try some green onion in the next batch too. Thanks for yet another use for my spaghetti squash.
Not sure about the ricotta – it might add too much moisture to the tots and they might not hold together. Let us know if you try it, though!
I love this recipe! I tried it for the first time today because my daughter brought me a spaghetti squash that was the size of a watermelon, so I decided to try a few different recipes. I live a little remote, so when cooking on a whim I have to use substitutions. My tots turned out GREAT, so I thought I would share. I used my homemade “Panko” that is freeze dried (as opposed to oven dried), and I used the full cup. I didn’t have Parmesan cheese, so I substituted fresh grated mozzarella. I added a little garlic salt, onion powder, and smoked paprika to the mix. For the egg I got the biggest fresh one I could find from my chickens. I spritzed the formed tots with avocado oil and cooked them in the air fryer at 400 degrees for about 10-12 minutes, turning them several times with tongs as they cooked. I used Asian Yum Yum sauce with a dash of habanero sauce for dipping.
Thanks so much for sharing all of your adjustments! We’re glad the recipe worked great for you.
What sauce did you use
We used ketchup for the dipping sauce.
We love these. My wife and I call them squots! !
what a cute name! I’m so glad you both like them!
My 17 year old LOVED these! Definitely going to make the other tots. THANK YOU!
I’m so happy to hear that!
had some spaghetti squash and a very picky 4 year old so decided to try this recipe– it was a big hit! Both my kids love this recipe and so do I, I follow it exactly as written. Also helped me discover that roasted spaghetti squash seeds are really delicious, they have a sweetness to them that you don’t get with pumpkin seeds.
I’m so thrilled your kids enjoyed!
I love the idea of the recipe but I found it needed more seasoning. Cheese wasn’t enough. I would add sea salt and pepper next time as I found they just were missing a little something.
Will make them again, though!
You can of course season to your personal preference. I found the cheese added enough salt and since these are then dipped in sauce, I didn’t feel they needed more seasoning.
Could I leave out the parmesan?? This looks incredible!! Been looking for different spaghetti squash recipe 🙂
The cheese helps bind these together as well as adding flavor to the tots. Feel free to substitute with another cheese
Love them! Thanks for a new idea for spaghetti squash!
I hope you enjoy!
Just wondering if it’s safe to freeze them? If so, which way would be best to do so; cooked thoroughly or before placing them into the oven and then freeze?
I have not tried freezing, but I would guess that they would freeze well, both either uncooked or cooked.
Wow I have to drink more coffee before I read recipes. I thought it said eleven half cups packed cooked spaghetti squash. Great recipe though 🙂
yikes! at least you caught it before you actually made 11 1/2 cups of spaghetti squash!
These look absolutely delicious!! I was wondering if they could be deep fried?
I have not tried, but I think so!
Would you have any idea about the nutritional value of these “tots”?
I do not have that information. I suggest trying myfitnesspal which allows you to calculate recipe nutritional value
These were soooooo good. Great choice for the healthy version of ‘Tators Tots’. Would love to know if you could freeze these? Very time consuming, but so yummy!
i havent tried to freeze them, but I imagine it should freeze well!
What is zucchini batter? I’m thinking you meant squash but just thought I’d ask for clarification on the off chance that I’m wrong..
yes that should say squash batter! Sorry about that!
These look delicious. Do you think it is possible to make these vegan? If so, how would you recommend doing it?
you can omit the cheese and use an egg substitute to bind the ingredients. I haven’t tested it out though
Are they freezable?
I havent had any leftovers, but I think so
I LOVE this1!1 What a genius idea Kirbie. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Is there a way to make this even more low carb without the panko ? I recently saw the almond flour at Trader Joes – could that be a substitute for the panko (I know texture won’t be same). I wonder if you could deep fry these taters too?!
I’m not sure how well they will hold together with almond flour but you can definitely experiment.
I had the same thought… made some crab cakes tonight with almond flour and it worked well. Gonna give the almond flour a try with these, too! Thank you! Great recipe!
I hope they work out well!
You could try crushed pork rinds, or toasted (baked) and crushed low carb tortilla.
I made these last night using oatmeal flour instead of bread crumbs. I used 3/4 cup oatmeal flour (just put rolled oats in the blender to make the flour) and I really squeezed out the moisture in the squash with my hands. I added a quite a bit of salt and pepper. They turned out a little soggy still, but they held their shape and tasted pretty good. This recipe turned out be a good recipe, a good low carb tator substitute!
The oat flour likely doesn’t absorb the liquids as well which is why they were a little soggy. Thanks for sharing though!
This looks great. I just recently bought some spaghetti squash. Time to employ the teen to make this. : )
Hope you guys like them!