The exact cook time can vary. Read below for our tips!
Love ribs but don’t want the hassle of lighting up the grill? Air fryer ribs might be your next best friend!
Made with a combination of dry rub and sauce, these pork ribs are tender, juicy, and full of flavor – and only take about 35 minutes to make.
With little clean-up and lots of classic BBQ flavor, these ribs make a great weeknight or weekend dinner. You can serve them with some classic sides like (mashed) potatoes and roasted vegetables for a filling meal!
Ingredients
Here are all the ingredients needed to make these ribs in the air fryer. Aside from the ribs themselves, it’s mostly spices and just a couple of other ingredients:
- Pork ribs – Choose meaty, well-trimmed ribs.
- Dijon mustard – Dijon mustard is recommended, but regular mustard will work. Can have a tenderizing effect and acts as a binder for the dry rub.
- Salt – Enhances the flavor and seasoning.
- Paprika – You can use either sweet, smoked, hot, or Hungarian paprika depending on your preference.
- Ground coriander – Optional; adds extra flavor to the rub.
- Granulated garlic – Or garlic powder; also adds extra flavor to the dry rub.
- Oil – To prevent the ribs from sticking to the air fryer. Alternatively, you can use parchment paper.
- BBQ sauce – Use your favorite BBQ sauce.
Recipe Tips
Before you take on this easy air fryer rib recipe, read through these recipe tips so that your ribs will turn out delicious:
- This is a recipe for pork ribs. There are different types/cuts of ribs available, including spare ribs, baby back ribs, and St. Louis-style cut ribs (a type of spare ribs). The amount of meat, fat, or bone can change the cooking time.
- In addition to pork, you can also cook beef ribs – short ribs being a popular type. We will make short ribs and get back to you with a recipe!
- Most store-bought ribs have a thicker, white membrane on the underside. You should remove this before seasoning the ribs, as it is quite tough.
- To make cleanup easier, you can put down parchment paper since these ribs can be messy in the air fryer. This is especially true if you plan to add a lot of sauce.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer since this could prevent the ribs from cooking evenly. If your air fryer is quite small, you may have to cook in batches.
Step by Step Instructions
In this part of the post, we’ll show you visually just how to make this air fryer pork ribs recipe.
You can follow along with all the recipe process photos to get a sense of what each step should look like when you make them at home.
The detailed recipe card – with more information – can be found at the bottom of this post.
Start by preheating the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes or until it indicates that it is preheated.
In the meantime, coat the ribs with mustard on both sides. This will help tenderize the meat on the ribs.
Then sprinkle both sides with a mixture of salt, paprika, coriander (optional), and granulated garlic.
To make the cleanup easier, you can line the air fryer basket with parchment paper. Alternatively, spray or coat the air fryer tray with oil.
Cut the ribs into smaller pieces (1-2 ribs each) if needed. Then place the ribs in the air fryer basket. Don’t overcrowd the air fryer – cook in batches if needed.
Cook the ribs at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes. Then flip them over and air fry for an additional 10 minutes.
Brush the hot ribs with BBQ sauce on both sides and air fry them for another 5 minutes or until they are tender and nicely browned.
If they are not browned to your liking yet, you can flip them over again and air fry for another few minutes.
The exact cooking time can vary depending on your air fryer as well as the type of ribs.
You can add more BBQ sauce to the ribs before serving if you like.
Storage Tips
If you have leftover ribs, let them cool and then store them wrapped in foil or in a sealed container in the fridge.
Properly stored, they’ll keep for up to 3-4 days like this. You can then eat them cold or use the air fryer to reheat the pork ribs. 280 degrees Fahrenheit for just a few minutes until heated through works well.
If you like, you can add more sauce if they have dried out a bit in the fridge.
What to Serve Ribs With
Pork ribs are a classic dinner that can go a few different ways in terms of side dishes.
- Your favorite sauce on the side for dipping is always a good call.
- They taste great with mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, or potato wedges.
- Roasted vegetables are an easy and delicious side dish. Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, or brussels sprouts are all good options.
- Adding a fresh component, such as a green salad or even an orzo salad might work well.
FAQ
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about cooking ribs in the air fryer:
Make the dry rub and coat the ribs with mustard and dry rub. Cut the ribs into smalller pieces and air fry at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, then flip, and cook for another 10. Then, brush with BBQ sauce on both sides and cook for another 5 minutes or until tender and browned. Remove and enjoy!
Every air fryer and type of rib will cook slightly differently. As a guideline, at 360 degrees Fahrenheit, these meatier pork ribs cooked for 15 minutes on one side, then another 10 on the underside. Then another 5 minutes once coated in BBQ sauce.
To reheat ribs in the air fryer, we recommend a lower temperature such as 280 degrees Fahrenheit. This is often the “reheat” setting on air fryers. After the meat is heated, you can add more of your favorite sauce while in the air fryer or after they are out.
Related Recipes
These ribs are just one recipe – here are some more air fried pork recipes that you might enjoy!
- Air Fryer Pork Chops (Unbreaded)
- Pork Tenderloin in the Air Fryer
- Ham and Potatoes in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Ham Steak
- Pork Belly Air Fried
Air Fryer Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork ribs
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/3 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/3 teaspoon paprika
- 1/3 teaspoon coriander, ground (optional)
- 1/3 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, alternatively parchment paper
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce, more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes or until it indicates that it is preheated.1 pound pork ribs, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Meanwhile, coat the ribs with mustard on both sides. This will help tenderize the meat on the ribs. Then sprinkle with a mixture of salt, paprika, coriander (optional), and granulated garlic.1/3 teaspoon salt, 1/3 teaspoon paprika, 1/3 teaspoon coriander, 1/3 teaspoon granulated garlic
- To make the cleanup easier, you can line the air fryer basket with parchment paper. Alternatively, spray or coat the air fryer tray with oil.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Cut the ribs into smaller pieces (1-2 ribs each) if needed, then place the ribs in the air fryer basket. Don't overcrowd the air fryer – cook in batches if necessary.
- Cook the ribs at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes. Then flip them over and air fry for another 10 minutes.
- Brush the hot ribs with BBQ sauce on both sides and air fry for another 5 minutes or until they are tender and nicely browned. If the ribs are not browned to your liking yet, you can flip them again and air fry for a few more minutes. The exact cooking time can vary depending on your air fryer and the type of ribs.2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- If you like, you can add more BBQ sauce to the ribs before serving.
Notes
- There are different types/cuts of pork ribs. The amount of meat, fat, or bone can change the cooking time.
- Most store-bought ribs have a thicker, white membrane on the underside. You should remove this before seasoning the ribs, as it is quite tough.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer since this could prevent the ribs from cooking evenly. If your air fryer is quite small, you may need to cook in batches.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
