This quick weeknight meal is tangy and delicious, and comes together with little to no prep! The instant pot cuts down cooking time significantly, and makes it easier to find the time to get to other things in your busy life! I love eating this meal with my Brussel Sprout, Broccoli, and Red Cabbage Coleslaw, but it pairs well with just about anything. This meal is both Whole 30 and paleo, so add this to your weeknight rotation for delicious, healthy, and whole foods!
Why I love a weeknight Instant Pot recipe
I was very resistant to getting an Instant Pot for a long time. I definitely thought it was going to explode and kill everyone in my house. The best news is that Instant Pots are safe, and the fear of exploding pressure cookers is from the past. I can promise you that Instant Pots are completely safe and life changing (as long as you use them right).
Here are a few reasons why I chose to get an Instant Pot, and why I’m finding more ways to love it every day!
- The food isn’t exactly “instant,” but it cuts off an incredible amount of time. We’ve all come home after a long day of work and stared in our fridge, only to see some delicious ingredients sitting there, waiting to be cooked. It’s so easy to throw things together in the Instant Pot and have food around an hour later.
- It’s hard to mess up what you’re making. Just like the slow cooker, it’s really hard to go wrong with an Instant Pot. I tend to make soups and stews mostly in the Instant Pot, but everything else turns out amazing as well.
- The automatic shut off means you don’t have to worry about walking away for a few minutes. The evenings are so hectic for me during the weekend, that walking way from the kitchen for fifteen minutes can be life changing. It can be to take the dog out quickly, to take out the trash, do some laundry – whatever. The Instant Pot won’t self vent, but knowing that it will stop cooking gives me a lot of peace of mind.
- You can literally make anything in the Instant Pot. Mashed potatoes, stews, and now ribs! There’s no way you can go wrong. And we all need a little more quick and easy in our life, right?
How to make Quick Instant Pot BBQ Ribs
If you have a BBQ sauce that is compliant with whatever diet you eat, this recipe is even easier and simpler than what I have here! However, many BBQ sauces contain soy, and for the person avoiding sugar, they can be a nightmare. These ingredients come together to make a tang BBQ sauce that adds great flavor to your ribs:
- rack of ribs
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- chili powder
- tomato paste
- apple cider vinegar
- coconut aminos
- light olive oil
- water
Putting together the ingredients is a simple process. Rinse and pat dry your rack of ribs using paper towels. In a small bowl, combine some salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder. Once your ribs are dry, rub the combination of spices all over them. Set aside
In another bowl, combine the tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, light olive oil, some garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder. Make the BBQ sauce even spicier by adding some hot sauce, or make it more mellow by removing some of the chili powder.
Prepare your Instant Pot by putting down the wire stand so that the ribs will not be sitting on the Instant Pot pot itself. Pour 2-4 cups of water in the Instant Pot, depending on how large your Instant Pot is. Place the rack of ribs on the wire stand with the fat side down, and spread the BBQ sauce over them.
Seal your Instant Pot and put it on high for 25-30 minutes. The ribs should steam completely through. If you don’t have a high setting, try the soup/stew setting.
Then, set your ribs on a lined broiler pan and broil them for about 10 minutes, fat side up. It’ll help add some crispiness to the ribs! Add any additional sauce on afterwards for serving. Serve with my delicious Brussel Sprout, Broccoli, and Red Cabbage Coleslaw, or enjoy alone!
This is the perfect weeknight meal for when you’re looking for something quick and easy, and is also a great meal to serve to visiting friends and family!
Quick Instant Pot BBQ Ribs (Whole 30, Paleo)
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
For the spice rub
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp chili powder
For the tangy BBQ sauce
- 1 small can tomato paste (6 oz)
- 1/8 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup light olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
In the Instant pot
- 2-4 cups water
- 1 rack ribs
Instructions
- Combine the spice ingredients and set aside.
- Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Remove the ribs from the packaging. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Once dry, rub the spices all over the ribs.
- Set up your Instant Pot by placing the wire rack at the bottom so that the ribs do not sit directly in the pot.
- Cover your ribs in some BBQ sauce. Be sure to set some aside for later after cooking.
- Place the ribs in the Instant Pot. Seal and cook on 30 minutes on high. If you don't have a high setting, use the Soup/Stew setting. Make sure to vent completely.
- After venting and removing your ribs from the Instant Pot. Prepare your broiler and a pan. Broil the cooked ribs fat side up for about 5-10 minutes, depending on the crispiness you would like.
- Add some additional sauce and enjoy!