Instant Pot Asian-Style Sticky Ribs Recipe
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Looking for a scrumptious yet simple party appetizer or impressive dish for Chinese New Year? Instant Pot Asian-Style Sticky Ribs are the answer. Made using baby back ribs, homemade dry rub with Chinese 5-Spice, and a homemade sauce with fresh ginger, chili, and honey, they really pack a punch of flavor!
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Instant Pot Asian-Style Sticky Ribs
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
If you’re looking for a delicious and easy way to cook ribs, look no further than this Instant Pot Asian-Style Sticky Ribs Recipe.
With a variety of spices and aromatics, you can have tender and flavorful ribs that will be the hit of your next party or family gathering.
The ribs can be served as a starter/appetizer for a dinner party, or as party food on the buffet table. They also make a great main dish when served with rice or noodles.
Throwing a party? These sticky ribs would be perfect for serving at a Hawaiian Luau Party!
I’ve got lots more Luau Party Food recipes for you to try out – right-click and open them in a new tab to read next!
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.
It may not include staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.
- Fresh Produce – Ginger, Green Onions (Scallions/Spring Onions)
- Protein – Baby Back Ribs
- Chinese Five Spice
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Honey – try to buy locally produced honey when possible.
- Cider Vinegar
- Cornstarch – also known as Cornflour.
- White Sesame Seeds
- Special Equipment – Instant Pot
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Ribs
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is ribs, so here are some more recipes using the same:
More Instant Pot Recipes
Looking for more dishes to make in your Instant Pot? Check these recipes out next:
- Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Risotto in 30 Minutes
- Instant Pot Chicken Marsala Recipe
- Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe with Potatoes, Carrots, and Green Beans
Recipe Tips
- If you can’t find baby back ribs that are already sliced, pick up a slab instead. Just be sure to remove the thin membrane from the back before slicing.
- The garlic chili sauce used in this recipe is available in most grocery stores or online. It is spicy (and the spiciness becomes more pronounced with time) so start with one teaspoon and add more, if desired.
How Do I Make Instant Pot Asian-Style Sticky Ribs?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Instant Pot Asian-Style Sticky Ribs
Ingredients
For the Dry Rub
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp Chinese 5 Spice blend
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
For the Sauce
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger finely minced
- 1-2 tsp garlic chili sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅓ cup cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
Other Ingredients
- 2 lbs 900g baby back ribs, sliced
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch (cornflour
- 3 large green onions sliced, green parts only
- 1 Tbsp white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Combine the dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- Place the ribs in a large bowl and sprinkle the dry rub on top. Toss to combine and rub the seasoning into the ribs until they are coated on all sides.
- Place the seasoned ribs in the Instant Pot without stacking and pour the sauce on top. Lock the lid into place and flip the pressure valve to “Sealing.” Set the “Manual” setting to “High” and adjust cook time to 25 minutes.
- .While the ribs are cooking, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside.
- When cook time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release for any remaining pressure. Once the pin drops, carefully remove the lid and transfer the ribs to the prepared baking sheet. Set aside.
- Place the top oven rack a few inches below the broiler/grill and pre-heat to “high.”
- Add the cornstarch and an equal amount of the hot liquid from the Instant Pot to a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Select the “Sauté’ function on the highest setting and bring the sauce to a boil while stirring frequently. Add a little of the cornstarch slurry at a time to the sauce and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes, until thickened.
- Turn the Instant Pot off. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and brush over the ribs on both sides. Place the baking sheet under the broiler/grill for 2-3 minutes before turning. Repeat on the remaining side until nicely browned.
- Remove the baking sheet from oven and brush more sauce on the ribs, then sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with the remaining sauce on the side. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Special Dinner!
You’ve made the main dish, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a special meal or dinner party:
- Appetizer: Spicy Chicken Satay Recipe with a Peanut Dipping Sauce
- Soup: Chinese Sweet Chilli Chicken & Noodle Soup
- Salad: Asian Cabbage Salad with Warm Spicy Peanut Dressing
- Side Dish: Quick & Easy Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe
- Beverage: Refreshing Blackberry Iced Tea
- Dessert: Quick & Easy Cherry Pecan Ice Cream Recipe (Churner NOT Required!)
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.