Distinguished from other types of ribs like spare ribs or baby back ribs, spare rib is favored by many food enthusiasts due to its combination of meat and fat, ensuring tenderness in cooking. Many homemakers often wonder about the best ways to cook spare ribs. Don't worry! In the following article, Mytour will suggest to you 10 delicious spare rib recipes that everyone will love!
There are numerous ways to cook spare ribs to create various delicious dishes. If you're unsure about what to cook, don't miss out on the suggestions below!
1. Seasoned Spare Ribs
There are plenty of seasoned spare rib recipes. Below are a few suggestions to add to your family's daily menu:
Sweet and Savory Seasoned Spare Ribs
This is considered a familiar dish in many households. Spare ribs are seasoned with rich and flavorful spices, blending with the sweet and savory sauce. This dish pairs perfectly with plain rice, making it a delightful meal option.
Ingredients Needed:
(Serving size: 3-4 people; Cooking time: about 30 minutes)
- 4 pieces of spare ribs
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 2 stalks of spring onion
- 2 cloves garlic, 2 shallots
- 1 piece of ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon white wine
- 20ml water

Image: collected
Guide to Making Sweet and Savory Spare Ribs Rim
Step 1: Use a tenderizer to flatten the spare ribs to make them thinner and softer. Then marinate them with soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, water, and cornstarch. Mix the ingredients well and let them marinate for about 1-2 hours to absorb the flavors.
Step 2: Sauté the shallots until fragrant, then add the spare ribs to lightly fry. Next, add soy sauce, sugar, white wine, and ginger to make the sauce mixture. Stir until the spare ribs turn golden and the sauce thickens.
Stir-Fried Spare Ribs Rim (Soy Sauce)
Although simple to prepare, the stir-fried spare ribs with soy sauce are loved by many, especially children. The ribs marinate well with spices along with the rich flavor of soy sauce, making the dish more enticing than ever.
Ingredients
Serving for 4-5 people; cooking time: 40 minutes
- 600g spare ribs
- 1 garlic bulb, 3 shallots
- 5 sprigs of spring onions
- 1.5 tablespoons of sesame oil
- 1.5 tablespoons of Chinsu chili sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of chicken stock powder
- 1.5 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon of salt
Method: Check out the details in the article Coconut-flavored Ribs

Image: Collected
Coconut-flavored Spare Ribs
Another delightful suggestion for spare ribs is coconut-flavored spare ribs. This rib dish is marinated with various flavorful spices. The standout feature is the gentle sweetness of coconut water, making it irresistible for everyone.
Ingredients
Servings: 3-4 people; Preparation time: 30 minutes
- 500g spare ribs
- 1 fresh coconut (200ml coconut water)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 chopped chili pepper
- 3 stalks lemongrass, minced
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Method: Check out the details in the article Coconut-flavored Spare Ribs

Image source: collected
Tamarind Spare Ribs
If you're still wondering what to do with spare ribs, this is the choice to change up the taste for the whole family. The sourness of tamarind combined with various spices blends very well.
Ingredients:
Serving: 3-4 people, cooking time 45 minutes
- 400g spare ribs
- 50g tamarind juice
- 1 tablespoon chili sauce
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt

Image source: collected
How to Make Grilled Lemongrass Spare Ribs
Step 1: Strain the tamarind to extract the core liquid. Add chili sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and stir well to blend the ingredients together.
Step 2: Heat cooking oil in a pan then fry the spare ribs. Flip every 5 minutes until the ribs are firm and turn brown.
Step 3: Pour the tamarind sauce over the spare ribs and stir well to let the ribs absorb more sauce.
2. Pan-Fried Spare Ribs
Garlic Pan-Fried Spare Ribs
Tender spare ribs paired with the fragrant aroma of garlic stir-fried to perfection will captivate everyone's taste buds after the first bite. If you're unsure what to do with spare ribs, treat your family to this special dish.
Preparation Ingredients:
(Serving size for 3-4 people; cooking time approximately 30 minutes)
- 4 pieces of spare ribs
- 1 bulb of garlic
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon MSG
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon bouillon powder
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce

Photo: collected
Instructions for Making Garlic Pan-Fried Spare Ribs
Step 1: Use a meat tenderizer to flatten the spare ribs for tenderness.
Step 2: Peel and crush the garlic cloves, then finely mince. After mincing, add the prepared spices such as fish sauce, black pepper, MSG, sugar, and bouillon powder. Mix well and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3: Heat cooking oil in a frying pan until fully heated, then fry the spare ribs. Fry for about 5-7 minutes until the ribs turn brown and the garlic becomes golden brown.
Garlic Pan-Fried Spare Ribs
Weekend calls for a change in taste, why not try something new like crispy fried spare ribs? This recipe guarantees a delicious treat for everyone. The meat is tender, while the outer layer is crispy and fragrant.
Ingredients Needed
Servings: 3-4 people, Cooking time: 35 minutes
- 800g spare ribs
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 eggs
- 100g flour for coating
- 150g crispy flour

Image source: Collection
How to Make Crispy Fried Spare Ribs
Step 1: Clean the spare ribs thoroughly, removing the bones. Pat dry and marinate with 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.
Step 2: Prepare two separate bowls, one with crispy flour and the other with coating flour. Beat 2 eggs in a bowl until smooth.
Step 3: Roll the spare ribs in crispy flour, then in beaten egg, followed by coating flour. Repeat the process once more with egg and coating flour. Ensure that the entire surface of the spare ribs is evenly coated with coating flour.
Step 4: Heat cooking oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, fry the ribs until they turn golden brown, then turn off the heat. It's recommended to deep-fry the ribs for a better color.
3. Grilled Spare Ribs
Honey-glazed Grilled Spare Ribs
If you're not a fan of garlic flavor, you can try honey-glazed spare ribs instead. The tender ribs combined with the sweet aftertaste of honey along with various golden spices make the spare ribs more flavorful.
Ingredients
(Serving size: 2-3 people; Cooking time: 40 minutes)
- 3 pieces of spare ribs
- 2 shallots
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon seasoning powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper

Image: Collection
How to Make Honey-Glazed Spare Ribs
Step 1: After cleaning the spare ribs, gently tenderize the meat to make it softer and thinner.
Step 2: Put the ribs in a bowl, then add chopped shallots, honey, soy sauce, sugar, salt, seasoning powder, and pepper. Mix the ingredients well and marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 3: Grill the ribs over charcoal. While grilling, remember to turn them regularly because the honey can cause the meat to burn easily.
Grilled Spare Ribs with Broken Rice
One of the fantastic spare ribs recipes you shouldn't miss is grilled spare ribs served with broken rice. This dish only requires a bit of complexity in marinating the ribs. You can prepare some shredded pork skin and steamed egg meatloaf for a perfect broken rice plate.
Ingredients Needed
(Serving size: 3-4 people; Cooking time: about 1 hour)
- 4-5 pieces of spare ribs (about 700gr – 900gr)
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon MSG
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 cloves garlic, 3 shallots
- 2 tablespoons soda

Photo: collected
How to Make Grilled Spare Ribs with Broken Rice
Step 1: Tenderize the spare ribs. Mix soda with water and soak the spare ribs for about 10 minutes, then remove and pat dry with a towel.
Step 2: Combine the ingredients: garlic, shallots, oyster sauce, MSG, honey, sugar, 2 tablespoons soda, and blend until smooth.
Step 3: Place the ribs in the sauce mixture. Use your hands to massage, ensuring the sauce covers the entire surface of the ribs. Marinate for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 4: Grill the ribs over charcoal. While grilling, flip regularly and brush both sides with sauce for enhanced flavor.
Spare ribs grilled with lemongrass
Serving size: 3-4 people, cooking time 45 minutes
- 900gr – 1kg spare ribs
- 2 lemongrass stalks
- 3 shallots, 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili paste

Photo: collected
How to Make Lemongrass Grilled Spare Ribs
Step 1: Blend lemongrass, garlic, and shallots together. Then strain through a sieve to extract the juice. Keep the pulp for later use.
Step 2: Mix the lemongrass, garlic, and shallot juice with oyster sauce, condensed milk, fish sauce, chili paste, and seasoning. Marinate the ribs with this sauce for about 30 minutes.
Step 3: Grill the ribs, ensuring to flip both sides and brush some cooking oil on top to prevent them from drying out.
4. Spare Ribs in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients Needed
Serving size: 3-4 people, cooking time 40 minutes
- 400g spare ribs
- 3 tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3-4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 purple onion
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoning powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Photo: collected
How to Make Spare Ribs in Tomato Sauce
Step 1: After washing the spare ribs, marinate them with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Step 2: Sauté 2 cloves of minced garlic with purple onion. When the onion and garlic turn golden, add tomatoes and stir-fry until the tomatoes are soft. Add 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of seasoning powder, and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Mix well until the seasonings blend together.
Step 3: Fry the spare ribs in another pan of hot oil. When the ribs shrink and start to change color, transfer them to the tomato sauce mixture. Simmer for about 5-7 minutes, then turn off the heat.
If you've bought spare ribs and don't know what to do with them, check out these recipes right away. With these recipes, you can easily showcase your cooking skills for a perfect meal. Hopefully, with the suggestions from Mytour Blog, you won't have to wonder what to cook with spare ribs anymore!
