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Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Chinese-Style Spare Ribs (Paleo, gluten-free)

May 8, 2021 · 20 Comments

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Chinese-Style Spare Ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet with a silicone brush
Chinese-Style Spare Ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet with a silicone brush

These Chinese-Style Spare Ribs are an easy dinner that can be made in your slow cooker or Instant Pot!

Juicy ribs are coated in a simple spice mixture, cooked to tender perfection and then glazed in a sticky sauce.

And by making these in a slow cooker or electric pressure cooker, you don’t need to bake them in the oven for hours. Just set it and forget it!

Plus they happen to be Paleo, gluten-free and dairy-free.

spare ribs coated in a sticky glaze on a foil-lined baking sheet with a silicone brush

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Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Chinese-Style Spare Ribs

Spare ribs are often seen in Chinese restaurants coated in a sticky red sauce that’s positively irresistible.

Unfortunately, the sauce often includes ingredients that are problematic for some of us, like soy sauce (which has gluten), refined sugars and even fake food coloring.

So these Chinese-style spare ribs are packed with many of the same flavors – garlic, ginger, 5-spice powder – but in a healthier way, yet they’re still good enough that anyone will enjoy them.

Soy sauce gets replaced with coconut aminos, which is coconut sap reduced to a thick syrup that’s similar to soy sauce. Brown sugar is replaced with honey and molasses so you still get that sticky sweetness but from refined sugar-free ingredients.

And we’ll skip the food coloring altogether. These might not have the telltale red color of traditional Chinese spare ribs but you won’t miss it!

You won’t believe how easy it is to cook ribs in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, too.

 

What you need for Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Chinese-Style Spare Ribs

Ingredients for the ribs:

  • 1 rack of St. Louis-style ribs, or spare ribs
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons ginger powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons fine sea salt or 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Ingredients for the sauce:

  • 1/2 cup coconut aminos (I tested this recipe using Coconut Secrets; if you use a different brand, it might have a different amount of sodium in it)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened, unseasoned rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon molasses

Equipment:

  • a large (5-6 quart) slow-cooker or large (6-8 quart) Instant Pot
  • a cutting board
  • a chef’s knife
  • a small mixing bowl
  • measuring spoons (these are my favorite because they actually fit into spice jars!)
  • a measuring glass
  • baking sheet
  • a small saucepan
  • a silicone or food-safe brush
  • aluminum foil
  • a whisk
individual Chinese spare ribs on a white round plate with a small bowl of dark sauce

How to make Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Chinese-Style Spare Ribs

For the ribs:

Step 1: Mix together the garlic powder, ginger powder, salt, pepper, Chinese 5-spice powder, cinnamon and cloves in a small bowl.

Step 2: Pat the ribs dry, then coat all over with the spices. If any spices fall off, try to swipe them up and pat back on the ribs but if they don’t all stay on that’s fine.

Step 3: For the slow cooker: Add 1 cup of water to the insert. Add the ribs so they’re standing up on their side, leaning against the insert if necessary. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.

For the Instant Pot: Add 1 cup of water to the insert. Add the ribs so they’re standing up on their side, leaning against the insert if necessary (you’ll have to curl them around into a circle or spiral). Lock on the lid, make sure it’s sealed, and set the manual time for 20 minutes. When the time is done, hit the Cancel/Keep Warm button and let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes. Release any remaining pressure.

For the sauce

Step 1: When the ribs are almost done, combine the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, honey, molasses and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat so it simmers for about 5-10 minutes, until reduced and thicker.

Step 2: When the ribs are done, cover a baking sheet with foil. Place the ribs bone-side up (discard any water left in the slow cooker/Instant Pot insert) and brush with some of the sauce. Broil for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce has caramelized and browned. Flip the ribs, brush with more sauce and broil for 3-4 minutes, until they look browned and sticky. (Broiling times may vary depending on the oven so keep an eye on the ribs to make sure they don’t burn.)

Step 3: Brush the meaty side with one more layer of sauce. Serve with any remaining sauce.

What to serve with these Chinese-Style Spare Ribs

These would be great served with rice, cauliflower rice, sweet potato rice or parsnip rice to soak up the sauce.

They would also be great with this Braised Red Cabbage, especially if you replace the apple cider vinegar in the recipe with rice vinegar.

Or you could serve them with these Roasted Green Beans and Brussels Sprouts. Just replace the balsamic vinegar with coconut aminos.

a whole slab or St. Louise-style ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet with a hand holding a silicone brush brushing on sauce

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I make substitutions?

Chinese 5-spice powder is usually a combination of cinnamon, fennel seed, star anise, Sichuan pepper and cloves. If you don’t have it or if you don’t like the fennel/anise flavor, you can omit it and increase the black pepper for 1 1/4 teaspoon, the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon and the ground cloves to 1/2 teaspoon.

Conversely, if you love the fennel/anise flavor and want more of it, add 1 whole star anise pod to the sauce as it simmers.

If you don’t have coconut aminos, you can use gluten-free soy sauce (often called tamari). This is often saltier than coconut aminos so leave the salt out of the sauce. Once it’s done simmering, taste it and only add salt if necessary.

No honey? Use the same amount of coconut sugar instead.

Can I make these Chinese-style ribs ahead of time?

You can make the spice mix up to 2 weeks in advance and store at room temperature. You can whisk together the sauce ingredients and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Once cooked, the ribs will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store any remaining sauce separately in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. To reheat leftovers, broil each side for 3-5 minutes or reheat in a low oven for 15-20 minutes (then broil each side for a few minutes if desired).

Can I freeze these Chinese-style ribs?

The cooked ribs can also be frozen. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in an air-tight container or baggie for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

To reheat leftovers, broil each side for 3-5 minutes or reheat in a low oven for 15-20 minutes (then broil each side for a few minutes if desired).

Other recipes you might like:

  1. Chinese-Inspired Roasted Carrots and Asparagus
  2. Beef Satay Stew with Sweet Potato Rice
  3. Slow Cooker Korean Short Ribs
  4. Instant Pot Creamy White Chicken Chili
  5. Slow Cooker Espresso Pulled Pork
spare ribs coated in a sticky glaze on a foil-lined baking sheet with a silicone brush

Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Chinese-Style Spare Ribs (Paleo, gluten-free)

Don Baiocchi
These Chinese-Style Spare Ribs feature juicy ribs coated in a savory spice rub and then glazed in a sticky sauce. They can easily be made in a slow cooker or Instant Pot and they're Paleo and gluten-free!
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 9 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Total Time 9 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 6 servings
Calories 588 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the ribs:

  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons ginger powder
  • 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt (or 1 tablespoon kosher salt)
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¾ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 rack (about 2½-3 pounds) St. Louis-style ribs (spare ribs)

For the sauce:

  • ½ cup coconut aminos
  • ¼ cup unsweetened, unseasoned rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or 1 teaspoon kosher salt), plus more if necessary

Instructions
 

For the ribs:

  • Mix together the garlic powder, ginger powder, salt, pepper, Chinese 5-spice powder, cinnamon and cloves in a small bowl.
  • Pat the ribs dry. Evenly coat them on both sides with the spice mix. If some falls off, that's okay.
  • For the slow cooker: Add 1 cup of water to the insert. Add the ribs so they're standing up on their side, leaning against the insert if necessary. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.
    For the Instant Pot: Add 1 cup of water to the insert. Add the ribs so they're standing up on their side, leaning against the insert if necessary (you'll have to curl them around into a circle or spiral). Lock on the lid, make sure it's sealed, and set the manual time for 20 minutes. When the time is done, hit the Cancel/Keep Warm button and let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release any remaining pressure.

For the sauce:

  • When the ribs are almost ready, combine the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, honey, molasses and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium heat and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
  • When the ribs are ready, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the ribs on the foil bone-side up (discard leftover water in the insert). Brush on some of the sauce and broil for 2-3 minutes, until the ribs look caramelized. Flip the ribs, brush on more sauce and broil for 3-4 minutes, until this side looks caramelized as well (broiling times might vary by oven setup so keep an eye on the ribs to make sure they don't burn).
  • Brush with one more layer of sauce on the meaty side of the ribs. Serve with any remaining sauce on the side to dip in or pour over.

Notes

Substitutions and variations
  • Chinese 5-spice powder is usually a combination of cinnamon, fennel seed, star anise, Sichuan pepper and cloves. If you don’t have it or if you don’t like the fennel/anise flavor, you can omit it and increase the black pepper for 1 1/4 teaspoon, the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon and the ground cloves to 1/2 teaspoon.
  • Conversely, if you love the fennel/anise flavor and want more of it, add 1 whole star anise pod to the sauce as it simmers.
  • If you don’t have coconut aminos, you can use gluten-free soy sauce (often called tamari). This is often saltier than coconut aminos so leave the salt out of the sauce. Once it’s done simmering, taste it and only add salt if necessary.
  • No honey? Use the same amount of coconut sugar instead.
Make ahead/leftovers
You can make the spice mix up to 2 weeks in advance and store at room temperature.
You can whisk together the sauce ingredients and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Once cooked, the ribs will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store any remaining sauce separately in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
The cooked ribs can also be frozen. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in an air-tight container or baggie for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
To reheat leftovers, broil each side for 3-5 minutes or reheat in a low oven for 15-20 minutes (then broil each side for a few minutes if desired).

Nutrition

Calories: 588kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 30gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.04gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 0.1mgSodium: 1138mgPotassium: 140mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 4IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Chinese ribs, Instant Pot ribs, slow cooker ribs, spare ribs
Tried this recipe?Mention @paleoglutenfreeguy or tag #paleoglutenfreeguy!

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Instant Pot, Mains, Recipes, Slow Cooker Chinese 5-spice powder, Chinese food, coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, honey, molasses, pork, ribs

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Comments

  1. o says

    October 31, 2024 at 7:48 am

    5 stars
    these were soooo good. i did them in my pressure cooker. next time i’m buying more ribs!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      October 31, 2024 at 10:37 am

      OH good! So glad you liked them!

      Reply
  2. TobyCat says

    July 9, 2021 at 10:19 am

    I’d love to do in my oven or on the stovetop- any suggestions on how best to do? Looks delish.

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      July 9, 2021 at 10:41 am

      Hi there,

      Yep – apply the dry rub to the ribs. Place in a roasting pan, cover with foil, and bake at 300 degrees F for 2 hours. When they’re almost ready, make the sauce and follow the instructions for broiling the the ribs with the sauce. I haven’t tested this method with this particular recipe but this is how I normally make ribs in the oven. Enjoy!

      Reply
      • TobyCat says

        July 9, 2021 at 1:57 pm

        Thanks for the quick response. I found your site via the Whole30 recipe group – I am going to try your sweet potato soup too! Thanks for sharing your story/recipes.

        Reply
        • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

          July 9, 2021 at 2:13 pm

          So glad you found it! I hope you enjoy the soup. And thanks!

          Reply
  3. Erin says

    May 16, 2021 at 7:31 am

    Ooh, I bought some ribs a few months ago that have just been sitting in the freezer because I couldn’t find a recipe special enough for them. This sounds perfect!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      May 18, 2021 at 8:49 pm

      Yay! Let me know if you try them!

      Reply
  4. Yang says

    May 14, 2021 at 3:04 pm

    5 stars
    This is so tasty! Love the touch of molasses in the sauce.

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      May 18, 2021 at 8:49 pm

      It adds the perfect amount of depth and syrupy texture!

      Reply
  5. Stacey Crawford says

    May 13, 2021 at 12:30 pm

    5 stars
    I’m loving the Asian 5 spice and how tender and saucy these ribs are! So easy to make in the IP!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      May 14, 2021 at 9:29 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  6. Megan Stevens says

    May 13, 2021 at 5:36 am

    5 stars
    Wow, such a feast. LOVE the sauce ingredients and flavors on these. And yay for the hands off recipe, my favorite kind! 😉

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      May 14, 2021 at 9:29 am

      Right? I love I get to cook ribs without having to supervise my oven.

      Reply
  7. ChihYu says

    May 12, 2021 at 7:27 pm

    5 stars
    These ribs!!! So tender and delicious! And the five spice gives them such great flavor!

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      May 14, 2021 at 9:29 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  8. Jean Choi says

    May 10, 2021 at 7:39 pm

    5 stars
    The seasoning is everything! It complements the richness of the ribs so well. Love the Instant Pot method.

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      May 10, 2021 at 8:47 pm

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
  9. tina says

    May 10, 2021 at 5:13 pm

    These spare ribs are so flavorful! I love the spices (esp chinese 5 spice!)

    Reply
    • Paleo Gluten Free Guy says

      May 10, 2021 at 8:47 pm

      It really adds the exact right flavor!

      Reply
5 from 6 votes

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Well hello there! I’m Don, the creator behind Paleo Gluten Free Guy. I share fun, vibrant recipes for good health and pure enjoyment. All of my recipes are gluten-free and the majority of them are also Paleo, meaning they’re free of grains, dairy, refined sugar and legumes.

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