These Asian Flanken Ribs are bold, juicy, and come together with just a handful of ingredients. Whether you're pan-frying on a rainy day, firing up the grill, or using your air fryer - this recipe delivers big flavor with minimal effort. A family favorite and a crowd-pleaser, these short ribs are perfect for weeknights or BBQ season.
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I've included stovetop, grill, and air fryer instructions-so no matter your setup, you can enjoy these ribs your way.
Note on Updates
When I first shared this recipe, it featured Taiwanese soy paste (醬油膏), garlic, and sugar/honey - my mom's way of making these ribs. That version is still one of my favorites, but I realized soy paste can be tricky to find outside of Asian grocery stores.
So I've updated this post to highlight a soy sauce + honey method as the main version. It's simple, accessible, and still delicious. If you do have sweet soy sauce or soy paste, I'll show you how to swap those in too!
About the Ingredients
Here are some tips about the ingredients to make sure you make some delicious Asian Flanken Ribs!
Flanken Ribs
Flanken style ribs (aka cross cut ribs) are pieces of meat thinly sliced across the rib section of beef bones. If you need visuals - here is a quick video of me explaining it! (Also follow me for cooking videos and cooking LIVE!)
Each piece consists of 3-4 small pieces of bone, between sections of flavorful meat. They are marbled with fat and connective tissues, and are super tender after being marinated for a short time.
💡 Serving Tip: I normally serve the ribs as whole slices, but you can also use kitchen shears to cut between the bones after cooking. This makes smaller pieces that are easier to share family-style or enjoy as finger food. (See photo below of when I served them cut.)
Soy Sauce, Sweet Soy Sauce, and Soy Paste
There's a few different ways you can make this so let me introduce them:
- Soy Sauce + Honey (Main Version): Pantry staples that give you a savory-sweet glaze.
- Sweet Soy Sauce (ABC brand / Kecap Manis): Already thick and sweet, so you can use it instead of soy sauce + honey.
- Soy Paste (醬油膏): Thicker, sweeter, and syrupy. This is my mom's traditional version, made with soy paste and sugar for a glossy Taiwanese-style glaze.
⚠️ Important Note: Not all "thick soy sauces" are the same. For example, Koon Chun's Thick Soy Sauce (上珠油) is a Hong Kong-style sauce that's more savory and slightly bitter. It won't give you the same flavor as Taiwanese soy paste. Look for brands like Kimlan (金蘭) or Wan Ja Shan (萬家香) with the label 醬油膏.
How to cook Asian Flanken Ribs (Step by Step)
First, gather your ingredients:
- 1 lb flanken short ribs (aka cross-cut short ribs)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey (or sugar)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil (for pan-frying)
In a large bowl, combine ribs, soy sauce, honey, garlic, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Mix well and marinate for at least 30 minutes (longer is better).
Heat cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add ribs (with marinade) in a single layer. Cook for about 1 minute per side, until caramelized and cooked through.
Serve hot, drizzling any leftover sauce from the pan over the ribs. (Optional: Use kitchen shears to cut between the bones before serving if you'd like individual pieces.)
Grill version
You can also grill these delicious ribs, as the important part really was the sauce we put together and the marinating!
All you have to do is set up your gas or charcoal grill over high heat, and once it's ready, place the ribs on the grate. Then grill for about 4-6 minutes on each side, and then remove and serve!
Air Fryer version
You can also make these flanken ribs in the air fryer! Preheat your air fryer at 400 degrees F. Then after you marinate it, air fry at 400 degrees F for 6-10 minutes (until cooked thoroughly), flipping halfway.
Asian Flanken Beef Ribs Recipe
Juicy, flavorful short ribs marinated in thick soy sauce, garlic, and honey, then pan-seared (or grilled/air-fried!) to perfection. Quick to prep and packed with bold, savory flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 lb flanken short ribs (cross-cut short ribs)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey (or sugar)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil (for pan-frying)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine short ribs, soy sauce, honey, garlic, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Mix well and marinate for at least 30 minutes (longer = more flavor).
- Pan-Fry (Stovetop): Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ribs (with marinade) in a single layer and cook 1–2 minutes per side, until caramelized and cooked through.
- Grill: Preheat grill over high heat. Grill ribs for 4–6 minutes per side, until nicely charred and cooked through.
- Air Fryer: Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Cook ribs for 6–10 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked through.
- Serve hot, drizzling any extra sauce over the ribs.
Notes
- Sweet Soy Sauce (ABC brand): Use ¼ cup in place of the soy sauce + honey. It’s thick, sweet, and glossy, no extra sugar needed.
- Mom’s Taiwanese Soy Paste Version (醬油膏): Replace the soy sauce + honey with ¼ cup Taiwanese soy paste and add 1 tablespoon sugar. This creates the rich, syrupy glaze I grew up with at home.
- If grilling or air frying, you can reserve 2–3 tablespoons of the marinade before adding it to the meat. Bring it to a boil in a small saucepan and drizzle it over the cooked ribs for extra flavor.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 439Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 956mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 30g
The nutrition information for this recipe is an approximate total per serving. Please double check the nutrition information for your exact ingredients and brands for more precise nutrition information.
Storage & Reheating
- Storage: Store leftover ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you want to keep them longer, freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months.
- Reheating:
- Stovetop: Reheat ribs in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or broth until warmed through.
- Oven: Place ribs in a covered dish at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
- Air Fryer: Reheat at 350°F for 4-6 minutes, flipping once, until heated through.
- Tip: Brush or drizzle a little extra sauce (or soy + honey mixture) over the ribs before reheating to keep them juicy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use other proteins instead of beef?
Yes! This marinade works well with salmon, chicken thighs, or pork. Just adjust the cook time depending on the protein and thickness.
What should I serve with these ribs?
They're great with steamed rice, fried rice, noodles, or grilled vegetables like zucchini, bok choy, or asparagus. A fresh cucumber salad also balances the richness really well.
Mine came out chewy - what happened?
Make sure to marinate for at least 30 minutes (longer is even better) to tenderize the meat. Also, don't overcook - flanken ribs are thin and cook quickly. If your slices are thicker, they may need a little extra time.
I used Koon Chun Thick Soy Sauce and the flavor was off - why?
Koon Chun's "Thick Soy Sauce" (上珠油) is a Hong Kong-style version that's more savory and slightly bitter. My mom's recipe uses Taiwanese soy paste (醬油膏), which is sweeter and syrupy. Using the wrong one will change the flavor.
Can I use sweet soy sauce (ABC brand / kecap manis)?
Yes! Sweet soy sauce is thick and sweet on its own, so you can use ¼ cup to replace the soy sauce + honey in the main recipe. The flavor leans a little more Indonesian-style, but it works beautifully.
What's the difference between the soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, and soy paste versions?
- Soy sauce + honey: The easiest, most accessible version (pantry-friendly).
- Sweet soy sauce (ABC brand): Shortcut option that's already thick and sweet.
- Taiwanese soy paste (醬油膏): My mom's traditional version - sweeter, syrupy, and authentically Taiwanese.
Pin for later!
More Delicious and Easy Asian Beef Recipes
- How about a easy and yummy stir fry? Try my Mongolian Beef Stir Fry! This flavorful dish is popular in Chinese restaurants, and also actually very easy to make at home!
- Only have ground beef? Not an issue - try this stir fry ground beef! It features ground beef stir fried with onions, mushrooms, garlic and sprinkled with green onions in a soy sauce mixture.
- Or if you like Korean cuisine, check out this Beef Bulgogi recipe! The marinade is super flavorful!
- Do you like it slow and cozy? Then make this Slow Cooker Chinese Braised Beef Stew! So easy and so delicious. You can serve with rice or noodles!
Jullia Albert says
Hi, I want to make this but don’t have any honey on hand, is it possible I could sub with molasses? Or would that be too bitter? Thinking of adding molasses as sub with brown sugar to sweeten. Do you think that would work?
TinaTsai says
Hi there! You can use brown sugar (I know for sure because I've done this). Not sure about molasses tho, but I don't see why not - just be aware that molasses has a richer, deeper flavor and is less sweet than honey, so you might need to adjust the amount depending on your desired sweetness level; you may need to use slightly more molasses to achieve the same sweetness as honey.
Kelly says
Good morning
I made this recipe it was great. Good flavor. I couldn't find Soy Paste but did find "Sweet Soya Sauce" Which I added Honey. This worked well. I also made the recipe but used Salmon. I used a skinless piece of salmon that was an inch thick and removed the pin bones with fish tweezers. I then cut the meat Flanken style and prepared the meal the same way. It was equally delicious.
TinaTsai says
Yay! Love your creativity, and thank you for leaving a comment! I'm glad it was yummy!
Mark says
Excellent -I marinated them for about 2 hours and then made them on the grill. I served them with brown rice and steamed veggies. I used the soy sauce with extra honey for the marinade.
TinaTsai says
Glad you liked it! 😀
Outi says
What do you serve this with?
TinaTsai says
if i'm grilling, then grilled veggies like asparagus, zucchini, mushrooms. if stovetop sometimes I serve with rice and other stir fry veggies.
Vickie says
What amount of oyster sauce on lieu of the thick soy sauce? Do I need to add anything else to add to the mix?
TinaTsai says
I would use the same amount as thick soy sauce. Hope you like it!
Maria Shen says
@Vickie, hey you can use hoisen sauce also. It’s like sweet oyster but I’d split with oyster if you don’t want too sweet. I’d say measure approx same as with thick soy. I add a smidge of ginger to mine and black pepper as well
Stv says
Unfortunate mine were not tender at all. Very chewy.
TinaTsai says
Oh no! How long did you marinade it? And was it very marbled? I find sometimes if it's too marbled it can be a bit chewy.
larry S says
Fixed these ribs in air fryer and they turned out great. Cooked at 400 degrees F for 3 min and flipped cooked another 3 min.
TinaTsai says
That's awesome to hear! Some folks have been asking how to air fry it so this is perfect to know!! I'll add it in the post 🙂
Kat says
How much corn starch and brown sugar should be added to the regular soy sauce version... This is quite vague. I need details!
TinaTsai says
Hi there! I see you're looking for more directions on my advice if you didn't have thick soy sauce on hand - I actually wrote the original recipe how we usually make it, with thick soy sauce and was just saying you could sub it with those things if you don't have that ingredient, that's why I wasn't super specific on the regular soy sauce directions. But I hope this will help: In a bowl, mix 3/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup brown sugar. Then in another bowl make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 2 tbsp corn starch and 4 tbsp of water. Then combine with the soy sauce brown sugar mix. If it's too thick then add a bit more water.
Shauna Mcmunn says
Can these be air fried?
TinaTsai says
You can definitely air fry flanken ribs - I've not done it personally, but I did some research and it looks like you would air fry at 400 degrees for 6 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking. If you try it let me know how it goes!
Rob Parrott says
I made this tonight, and I’m confused about the sauce. You say to put the ribs in the pan, to cook and when done, remove the ribs and drizzle with the sauce. Should the sauce be added to the pan when cooking the ribs? You only say “Add the slices of short ribs on the cooking pan.” There was only a little fat, no sauce, when I was done cooking the ribs, and I wasn’t going to put the uncooked marinade with raw beef juices on the ribs. Also, when trying to print the recipe, the pan cooking instructions would not print from my iPhone, iPad, or laptop. Just the ingredients and bbq instructions. I marinated them for two hours and the meat didn’t come off the bone at all yet was cooked.
TinaTsai says
Yes, the ribs and the sauce should be added to the pan when cooking the ribs - sorry about the confusion! You are correct though - do not put uncooked marinade with raw beef juice on the ribs - that would not be good / safe! I'll definitely make an update to the post to make that part clear. I'm not sure why the pan cooking instructions won't print though, it does work on my end, and so far you're the first person to have mentioned that to me... Have you tried using the "Print" button on the recipe card? It works differently than just printing the page (it shows up in a consolidated recipe card format). As for the meat, contrary to other types of ribs where you do want it falling off the bones, this flanken rib is not really meant to be falling off the bones, some folks even like tearing off the meat from the bones (I don't - but it's definitely a thing... they prefer it 'chewy').
burneggroll says
One minute per side? How thick are your ribs?
TinaTsai says
Hi there! Yes, they are flanken style cut ribs so they are only about 1/2 inch thick. We like it medium rare too so 1 min per side does the trick usually. If you like them more well done or have thicker flanken style cut ribs you may want to cook for longer.
Christina says
Is there a recipe available to make the thick soy sauce?? Thank you!
TinaTsai says
I don't personally have one other than just mixing soy sauce, brown sugar/honey, cornstarch together (what I do when I run out of it) but I saw there was one posted here: https://cookinginchinglish.com/taiwanese-thick-soy-sauce/ that might be more similar!
Ju-Peter says
where has the honey gone to? 😄
TinaTsai says
Ha! 😀 Nice catch - I left out the word in the first sentence, it's part of the marinade. I've added the word honey. If you look closely at that picture though, you can see the drizzled honey
Alexandra says
Is thick soy the same as kecap manis?
TinaTsai says
Hi there! I've not used kecap manis before but I did some research, and it sounds like they might be similar, but they are not exactly the same. Kecap manis sounds like is a lot sweeter, made with fermented soybeans and a variety of sugar and spices, including palm sugar, star anise, and garlic. Where as thick soy sauce aka soy paste is sweeter than soy sauce but not as sweet as kecap manis, and made with sugar, more wheat in the fermentation process, and sometimes, a starch thickener. I'll have to check out kecap manis some time tho it sounds very delicious 🙂
Duncan Edwards says
simply amazing I love it
TinaTsai says
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! 😀