Speck Ham Tater Tots are a delicious, all natural, homemade alternative to store bought frozen boring tater tots. Made with Speck Alto Adige PGI ham, Parmesan cheese, and Italian herbs, these easy taters can be on the table in less than 20 minutes!
Homemade Speck Ham Tater Tots
These Speck Ham Tater Tots are a homemade version that's way healthier and tastier than premade frozen store tots.
When mixing up this tater tot recipe, I decided to play up the whole Italian theme by adding a little Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning for some extra flavor.
Speck Ham Tater Tots are so easy to make and are totally kid-friendly, yet sophisticated enough to serve at an adult dinner party.
Perfect as a side dish to any entrée or as a snack with some melted cheese on top or even chili for something really tasty.
A few weeks ago Katie, my friend and fellow food blogger at A Fork's Tale, referred me to the PR folks for the cured ham product Speck Alto Adige PGI.
They asked if I would like to receive a sample of it to use in a recipe, as well as being featured on their website as their Speck Ham April Speckulator.
Well, I can honesty say, they didn't have to ask me twice before I jumped on that bandwagon. Immediately I said "YES!" and a huge hunk of beautiful delicious Speck arrived at my door. Yay me!!
What is Speck Ham?
Speck Alto Adige PGI is made from lean pork and is only produced in the northern Italy area of South Tyrol (also known as Südtirol).
The pork is naturally cured for a few weeks in a juniper and spice mixture, then lightly smoked. It's finally aged by air drying for an average of 22 weeks in the cool Alpine air.
Similar in taste and texture to prosciutto, this cured ham has a more intense smokiness to it. However, through all the smokiness, it still maintains a mildly sweet undertone.
See that fire-branded seal on the ham's rind? Only the best hams can be marked with a Südtirol seal, so be sure to look for it to insure the highest quality and authenticity.
Seriously, I don't know where these tater tots have been my whole life. They are unbelievably good and I'm already thinking of changing up the recipe.
They can have all sorts of different meats, veggies, and/or cheeses added to the potato base and fried up.
So say bye-bye-bye to your unnatural frozen premade plain and boring tater tots and trade them in for these easy and delicious homemade Speck Ham Tater Tots.
Speck Ham Tater Tots
Ingredients
- 2 large Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes about 2 pounds, scrubbed and cleaned of all dirt
- ¼ cup Speck ham, diced (can subsitute bacon, pancetta, or prosciutto)
- 2 tablespooons flour
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- 1 ¼ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Precook the potatoes by pricking each potato several times all over and microwave on high for 4-5 minutes, or until a knife is easily inserted into center but not quite soft (can also precook/roast in a 400F/204C degree oven for about 30-40 minutes). Set aside and let cool completely.
- Take cooled potatoes and peel the skins off (if desired) and shred on the large holes of a box grater. Place shredded potatoes in a large bowl, add Speck ham, flour, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well with hands until mixture is thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Place 2 inches of oil in a heavy bottomed, large pot over medium-high heat until oil reaches 350F/176C degrees.
- While oil is heating, make the tots by taking a small scoop of the potato mixture and form into 1 inch long cylinders. Drop each tot into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd, and fry until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Drain cooked tots on a wire rack over paper towels or on a paper towel lined plate.
- Serve immediately.
simonacallas
Wow, these tots look amazing! Simple, tasty and easy to make 🙂
Rahul @samosastreet.com
Your pictures look absolutely delicious, Karrie! Without a single doubt, I am going to try speck ham tater tots and I am sure it will be a big hit in my home
Sophie
Ok so I know I'm a vegetarian, but can I still say YUM? I haven't had a tater tot in ages and never would have thought to make them myself... but I can totally see this working with so many delicious fillings!! Especially since the base is made of so many staple ingredients. Maybe a truffle cheese one?! An imitation meat one? (My guilty pleasure... it's so artificial but I just love it) Blue cheese? Spinach?!
Katie Crenshaw
Karrie, you are sooooo sweet! I am glad you liked that Speck Ham…. I am craving it now. I think it was the best ham EVER!!!! And your tater tots…. Sweet Heaven! You are my foodie twin!!! Potato anything and I fall apart! Add in cheese and that Speck Ham!!! HELLO! I can't fry things very good. That is my cooking weakness. The only thing I have been known to fry well is fried okra. I haven't tried frying in awhile. Guess I should try again, because these taters look worth the risk!
GiGi Eats
OHHH MAN those are total crowd pleasers right there!
Vineetha @ Mint and Mimosas
Mmm, these sound deliciously flavorful!
annie@ciaochowbambina
Oh goshhhhh - there isn't anything about this that I don't love! I wish we lived closer, my friend! I could handle a big plate of these right now! Perfetto!!
Karly
These take tots to a whole new level. A level that I think most of us would call the Drool Level. These look SO good!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks
OMG! This is the coolest thing ever! Homemade Tater Tots stuffed with prosciutto-like ham and parmesan?!?! I love that a big chunk of ham showed up at your door. Think how many more Tater Tots you can make with all that. I'll be over to eat them all!
Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom
This is GENIUS! Pure genius! I never would have thought to mix ham into tater tots, but the combination is a perfect marriage! Not to mention, I can eat tots like it's my last day on earth 😉
Nicoletta @sugarlopice
Karrie, Loreto would LOVE those tater tots! I should make them for him, they look absolutely delicious! Speck is an amazing product, its smoky flavor is addictive. Glad you were chosen as their April Speckulator 😉 . You did a fantastic job!
All That I'm Eating
These sound AMAZING! You've made me so hungry, I could gobble all of these up right now!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
I've always wanted to make my own tater tots. Now it looks like I have the perfect recipe. Love that you have bits of ham in here. Yum!
Dawn @ Girl Heart Food
I think we are food twins, Karrie! Totally picking up what you are throwing down, lol. How lucky to get this beautiful hunk of speck sent to you. YUM! These speck ham tater tots look delicious! I love speck ham, though I haven't had it in quite some time. This is the perfect opportunity to go pick some up, make these and pop the whole recipe into my pie hole 😉 I bet these would be awesome with some aioli dipping sauce too or poached eggs for brekky or imagine with poutine....mmmmmm. Pinning this for making soon 🙂 XO
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
How have I never had tater tots before? They seem like an American staple that hasn't quite made its way to the UK yet.