Juicy, tender pork ribs in under an hour? Yes, please. Our easy air fryer method gives you ribs that are packed with flavor, high in protein, and perfect for busy weeknights. Whether you're using baby back ribs or spare ribs, you'll get that smoky BBQ-style taste without needing a grill or smoker.
We've made ribs every way since they're a huge family favorite: smoked, grilled, slow oven baked, Instant Pot ribs, country style, and even beef ribs, but this method has become our go-to since it's super quick and simple. Who knew you could could BBQ pork ribs so quickly?
Things to know before air frying ribs
- ✅ Wrap in foil for juicy ribs: Cooking ribs wrapped in foil in the air fryer helps steam the meat and lock in moisture, giving you that tender, fall-apart texture without a smoker.
- ✅ Use baby back or pork spare ribs: Baby backs are smaller and quicker to cook, while spare ribs are meatier and take a bit longer. Both work great in the air fryer.
- ✅ Dry rub matters: A good pork rib dry rub adds tons of flavor. We have a reader favorite sugar-free version for keto or low carb diets—or make your own to control ingredients.
- ✅ BBQ sauce is optional: Want that sticky glazed finish? Brush your ribs with BBQ sauce for the final 5 minutes.
- ✅ High protein, macro-friendly: Pork ribs are naturally high in protein and low in carbs, which is perfect if you're tracking macros or trying to eat more protein.
I know ribs aren’t what most people picture when they think of healthy eating—but that’s exactly why I love this recipe. It proves that you can still enjoy bold, comforting food and stick to your goals. I’ve made ribs every way over the years, and this air fryer version is my go-to when I want BBQ style ribs but fast.
NThis is our go-to rib easy recipe for when we want something that tastes like BBQ takeout but gets on the table in less than one hour. You can use our same method to make easy air fryer country style ribs too.
Ingredients you'll need
- baby back ribs - or pork spare ribs
- pork dry rub - you can use our sugar-free rib rub or opt for a store-bought variety
- BBQ sauce - technically optional, but adds a ton of flavor to the final product
Equipment
An Air Fryer- We have a Cosori XL basket style air fryer, an Omni Plus oven style air fryer, and a small 3.2L Farberware basket style air fryer. The Cosori was used in this recipe.
Step by Step Instructions
How to Make Air Fryer Ribs
Cooking ribs in the air fryer is quicker than traditional methods but just as delicious. With a simple dry rub, a foil wrap, and a little patience, you’ll get tender, juicy ribs fall-off-the-bone ribs with a perfectly seasoned crust.
Step 1: Prep the Ribs
- Pat dry: Blot the ribs with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Do not rinse.
- Remove the membrane (optional): Some racks come with the thin silver skin (membrane) still attached to the back. Ours was already removed, but if yours isn’t, we recommend removing it for more tender ribs. Here’s a quick video tutorial if you need help.
- Cut the rack in half: This helps the ribs fit better in most air fryer baskets or trays.
Step 2: Season the Ribs
- Rub it in: Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of dry rub per half-rack (2 tablespoons total), focusing on the meaty side. Press it into the meat with clean fingertips to help it stick.
Step 3: Wrap and Arrange
- Wrap tightly in foil, sealing well to trap moisture.
- Place the ribs meat-side down in the air fryer basket. It’s okay if the halves overlap slightly.
Step 4: Air Fryer Temperature
- Preheat your air fryer to 360°F for at least 5 minutes. This helps the ribs cook more evenly from the start.
Step 5: Cooking Time
- Cook for 20 minutes, then carefully flip the foil-wrapped ribs over.
- Continue cooking for another 20 minutes, still wrapped in foil, with the meaty side up.
Step 6: Optional BBQ Glaze
- Unwrap the ribs carefully, watching for steam.
- Brush with BBQ sauce (optional) and return to the air fryer, uncovered.
- Cook for 5 more minutes to allow the sauce to caramelize and lightly char.
Step 7: Check for Doneness
- The ribs should be tender and juicy with an internal temperature of at least 175°F—though many prefer 185–190°F for that fall-off-the-bone texture.
- Let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Step 8: Serve and Enjoy
- Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side and your favorite air fryer sides (like potato wedges or coleslaw).
- Enjoy your easy air fryer ribs!
Recipe Tips
- Let the ribs rest before cooking. Taking the chill off by letting the ribs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes helps them cook more evenly in the air fryer.
- Remove the membrane for best results. While optional, removing the silver skin from the back of the ribs helps them absorb more flavor and turn out extra tender. You can ask your butcher to remove it or follow a simple video tutorial online.
- Foil is highly recommended. Wrapping the ribs in foil helps them stay moist and cook evenly. While some skip this step, we’ve found it gives the best texture—especially in the air fryer.
- Cook to tenderness, not just temperature. While ribs are safe to eat at 145°F, they become truly tender around 185–190°F. If you like fall-off-the-bone ribs, try cooking them for 25 minutes per side—but note we haven’t tested that timing yet.
FAQs
BBQ air fryer ribs are the centerpiece of any good BBQ dinner and pair well with coleslaw, corn on the cob, bourbon baked beans, cauliflower macaroni and cheese, and collard greens.
It's easy to cook frozen meats like pork ribs in an air fryer, you can usually just follow a recipe and add a slightly longer cooking time until the internal temperature reaches the required degree of doneness. The one consideration with air fryer frozen ribs is that a whole rack of frozen ribs will be too long to fit into an air fryer unit unless you have a large air fryer oven. If you know you're purchasing pork ribs to air fry later, cut them in half before freezing so that they'll fit in the air fryer when it's time to cook them.
Yes! Wrapping ribs in foil helps lock in moisture and gives you tender, juicy meat without drying out. We tightly wrap the ribs in foil for the first 40 minutes of air frying, then unwrap them and cook for a few more minutes to let the sauce caramelize.
Air fryer ribs can absolutely fit into a healthy lifestyle especially if you're focused on high-protein, low carb, or macro-friendly meals. Pork ribs are naturally high in protein, and by using a sugar-free dry rub and a low-sugar BBQ sauce, you can enjoy all the flavor without the extra carbs or additives found in traditional versions
Pork ribs do have more fat than leaner pork cuts like pork tenderloin or pork chops. Just pair the air fryer ribs with healthy side dishes like roasted veggies and a simple salad to keep your macros balanced.
To reheat ribs in the air fryer, preheat to 350°F and cook for about 5–6 minutes, or until heated through. If they’re already glazed, cover loosely with foil to prevent burning. For a saucier finish, brush with BBQ sauce and air fry uncovered for the last 1–2 minutes.
Not quite—but they come close! Air fryer ribs aren’t as fall-off-the-bone as Instant Pot ribs, slow-cooked or smoked ribs, but they still turn out juicy and tender with a tender bite. For even more tenderness, cook the ribs until they reach an internal temp of 185–190°F, which helps break down connective tissue for that classic rib texture.
We recommend a dry rub made for pork ribs, especially our easy homemade recipe that's made without sugar. A mix of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and chili powder gives the ribs bold BBQ flavor. Adding sauce at the end is totally optional since our baby back rib rub has such amazing flavor!
More Healthy Air Fryer Pork Recipes
Looking for more easy, healthy pork recipes to make in your air fryer? These high-protein options are perfect for busy weeknights and for assembling meal prep bowls for the week. Just pair with a light grain or starch and roasted veggies.
- Healthy air fryer pork tenderloin Juicy, flavorful, and ready in under 25 minutes.
- Easy air fryer pork steak A quick dinner idea with bold seasoning and crispy edges.
- Easy bone-in pork chops (air fryer recipe) Simple and satisfying with a juicy center and golden crust.
- Healthy boneless pork chops (air fryer recipe) A leaner option that's still big on flavor and protein.
✨ Grab your free printable list of high protein foods to help plan more protein packed meals like this!
👉 Click here to get the list
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Easy Air Fryer Baby Back Ribs
Tender and juicy air fryer pork ribs can be made with either baby back ribs or pork spareribs. Eat them with the homemade dry rub recipe or smother them in BBQ sauce. No one will ever know the ribs aren't hot off the grill!
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back ribs (3 lb)
- 2 tablespoon pork dry rub
- ¼ cup+ BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees F for 5 minutes.
- Blot the ribs dry with paper towels, but do not rinse.
- As an optional step, you can pull off the thin membrane from the back of the ribs, ours came with this already removed from the ribs. if it's on the back (link video).
- Cut the rack of ribs in half with a sharp kitchen knife.
- Sprinkle the pork ribs with 2 tablespoon seasoning on the meaty side of the ribs, this will be 1 tablespoon per half. Press the seasoning into the meat with clean fingertips to help get the rib mix to stick to the ribs.
- Wrap them tightly in foil and place them meat side down in the air fryer. It's ok if the halves overlap slightly.
- Cook the pork ribs for 20 minutes in the air fryer and then flip them over. Continue cooking with the meat side up (the ribs are still wrapped in foil) for 20 more minutes.
- Carefully open up the foil packages and baste BBQ on the ribs if desired (optional). Air fry the ribs for 5 more minutes until the sauce is starting to brown and has that slightly charred "grilled" appearance.
- The ribs had an internal temperature of 175 F after cooking, fall-off-the-bone ribs are usually cooked to the 185-190 F range. If you prefer them even softer, try cooking them 25 minutes per side, we have not tested this amount of cooking time for the recipe.
Notes
Let the ribs rest on the counter for 30 minutes before starting the recipe, it helps the meat to cook more evenly if you take the chill off.
Wrapping the pork ribs in foil helps to keep the moisture in and make the ribs extra juicy. You can skip the foil if desired.
Removing the membrane from the ribs is optional, but strongly
recommended as it will make them more flavorful and tender when they
have finished cooking. You can ask your butcher to remove it for you or watch the tutorial to learn how to easily remove it yourself.
The recipe works for either baby back ribs or pork spareribs.
BBQ sauce is also optional, air fryer ribs with just dry rub also tastes amazing!
The ribs will technically be cooked after 30 minutes in the air fryer, but they'll taste even better and more juicy if you put them in slightly longer like our recipe suggests!
While we prefer to make our own sugar-free pork rub seasoning, you can use your favorite store bought brand in place of the homemade rub linked in the recipe.
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