Air Fryer Baby Back Ribs (Whole30, Paleo, Gluten-Free)

You’ll love this easy recipe for Air Fryer Baby Back Ribs. They’re crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside, all without firing up the grill. This fun recipe is Whole30 and Paleo-friendly; if you add a salad and fresh veggies, one rack will feed four people.

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When I was a kid we’d go to a special restaurant, Love’s BBQ, on Friday nights. They had chocolate shakes that I had to stand in the booth to be tall enough to drink and lots of delicious ribs. My favorite part was at the end of the meal when the server would bring a bowl of warm water with lemon slices floating in it to rinse your fingers. Of course, eating with my fingers and gnawing on the bones was fun too.

Since then I still love BBQ ribs, especially tender pork baby back ribs. My husband has worked for a while to figure our the ideal recipe for his air fryer ribs. He changed it several times, sometimes for the better and sometimes … not. He’s finally made them really great. I’ve told him to stop messing with them because I like them as is. I also forced him to give me the recipe, and now I’m sharing it with you so I have it for future reference just in case he tries to change it again.

You’ll want to make this delicious recipe for Air Fryer Baby Back Ribs every week

This recipe is Whole30 and Paleo compatible. It combines a Memphis-style rub with Kansas City-style BBQ sauce. It’s not too spicy and just a little bit sweet. It uses dates to sweeten the sauce, which starts with tomato paste, balsamic vinegar and coconut aminos. Yellow mustard brings some tang, both in the sauce and directly on the ribs before you apply the rub. Cooking the ribs in the air fryer make the outside a little crispy and the inside nice and juicy.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Baby Back Ribs

• Pork Baby Back Ribs – we find these packaged as whole racks at our grocery store. While most restaurants will sell an entire rack as a single entree, we manage to spread out one rack among our family of four. If you have big eaters, or don’t plan to serve a lot of side dishes, you might want to double the recipe.
• Yellow mustard – This is in the sauce and directly on the ribs before you put on the spice rub
• Paprika – a pungent, slightly sweet spice made from ground peppers
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Cumin
• Salt & Pepper

I’m including an easy recipe for Whole30 BBQ sauce below. But, you could use a bottled sauce if you prefer. A few of my favorites are: Tessemae’s Matty’s Bold BBQ Sauce, Primal Kitchen Classic BBQ Sauce, and Noble Made Classic BBQ Sauce. If you want to make homemade BBQ sauce, you’ll need:

• Tomato paste – this recipe uses 6 oz, which is one small can. If you find you often use less than a can and then don’t use the remaining tomato paste before it grows mold, try using a tube of tomato paste. It lasts longer and is resealable.
• Balsamic vinegar
• Dates
• Garlic
• Coconut aminos
• Yellow mustard
• White vinegar
• Paprika
• Salt & Pepper

How to prep

Don’t be intimidated by the large rack of ribs. Yes, the restaurant commercials show the entire rack being manipulated over a flaming grill, but we’re going to make it easy. You’ll cut the rack into four or five sections that are easy to handle. If your rack has a membrane on the bony side, peel that off.

You want to get the seasonings ready for the rub before you start. Your hands will be messy handling the meat, so measure out the rub ingredients and mix them together first.

What equipment do you need?

An Air Fryer – there are lots of air fryers on the market. Ours has a 7 quart capacity, which makes it big enough to roast a whole chicken. You might not need one that large, but it’s always good to have the option.

Knife – Always have good, sharp knives in your kitchen.

Tongs – I have a few sets of tongs. I use them for all sorts of recipes, from cooking bacon and ribs to swirling pasta in a sauce.

How to Make Air Fryer Baby Back Ribs

Start by separating the rack of ribs into four or five sections. Cut between the bones, making fairly even-sized pieces. Then paint prepared yellow mustard on each side of the sections of meat.

Assemble the ingredients for the rub: paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix this together and spread it on the ribs, pressing it onto both sides of the meat. This can get messy, just dig in and you can wash your hands afterward.

Set the air fryer to 380F. Put the pieces of ribs in the basket standing up around the outside of the basket. Cook for 12-15 minutes (longer for larger pieces, less time if your pieces are a bit smaller.) Then use tongs to flip the sections of meat, turning them over and upside down. You want the side that was facing in to be facing out and the end that was facing up to be pointing down. This way everything gets nice and crispy. Cook for another 12-15 minutes until done.

While the ribs are cooking, make the sauce. Chop the dates into very small pieces and crush then mince the garlic. Then put all of the sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan: tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, dates, garlic, coconut aminos, yellow mustard, white vinegar, water, paprika, salt and pepper. Heat over medium heat stirring frequently.

After the ribs have cooked on both sides, brush the ribs with the sauce. Do this right in the air fryer basket. Then cook at 380F for another 2-3 minutes to caramelize the sauce into crispy gooey deliciousness.

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If you make these, please leave a comment and a star rating below. I’d love to hear about your experience. And, tag me @GoodliciousFood on Instagram.

Other recipes you’ll love

• Balsamic Chicken and Red Peppers
• Browned Butter Honey Carrots
• Lamb Chops in Balsamic Reduction Glaze
• Honey Balsamic Strawberry Shortcake

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