GET THE RECIPE HERE.
I don't care who you are—if you have a pulse and you're not lactose-intolerant, you're a fan of grilled cheese. And if you claim you hate it, (1) why did you click on this video? And (2), you might have some major self-work to do, because you're probably lying to yourself.
The cheesy, gooey, melty delight has been made a thousand ways—wrapped in bacon, sandwiched with avocado, even infused with gold flakes and topped with foie gras and duck eggs—but this version is so ridiculously easy (and fun) to make that you need to try it at least once. A month.
It's definitely not dietician-approved, and maybe not an everyday snack, but wow. Just wow. The panini press fuses the tater tots together, making a crispy base that's possibly better than your go-to wheat bread. Even artisanal sourdough bread.
The key is to let the tots toast under the panini press for 2 to 3 minutes, just to get them nice and golden and crispy—they'll hold their shape better that way. Less than that, and the end result is more like a cheesy McDonald's hash brown. Delightful, but not quite grilled-cheesy enough.
If you don't have a panini press, don't panic! It's 100% doable on the stovetop too. You'll just need: a nonstick skillet, a metal spatula and some muscle. Arrange the (defrosted!) tots into two separate rectangles on the pan, then press down hard with a spatula to smoosh them. These pressed squares are the "bread." Cheese also helps keep the patties together, so let the cheddar melt on both squares before sandwiching the two sides together.
The best part? You can assemble the tater tots and press them into any shape you'd like. Want your tots to be as happy to see you as you are to devour them? Shape them into a smiley face or the letters H and I (for "Hi!"), and press them.
And, if you have leftover tots, try one of these six other ways to transform them into completely over-the-top snacks.
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