Thai Ribs with Red Curry Marinade: Fall-Off-the-Bone and Fragrant

Name: Thai Ribs with Red Curry Marinade
Prep time: 4 h
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 6 h 30 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 3 pounds pork spare ribs, well-marbled; 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste; 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk; 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; ½ teaspoon ground white pepper; 1 tablespoon lime juice; 1 teaspoon cornstarch, optional

Posted on June 24, 2026

Thai ribs with red curry marinade glazed and roasted until tender, garnished with fresh herbs and lime wedges.

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⏱ Marinate: 4 hrs, overnight 🔥Bake: 2.5–3 hrs 👤Serves: 4–6 🌶Heat: Adjustable

Thai ribs with red curry marinade take a familiar comfort food in a completely different direction, pork ribs soaked in a marinade of red curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce and ginger, then baked low and slow until the meat pulls away from the bone, finished with a glossy, slightly charred glaze. The marinade does double duty: most of it tenderizes the ribs overnight, and the reserved portion gets simmered down into a sticky glaze for the final broil. Worth the wait, and most of it is hands-off.

Ingredients

3 pounds pork spare ribs, well-marbled for the best tenderness
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch, optional, for thickening the glaze

Step by step

Make the marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk together the red curry paste, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, coconut milk, and lime juice.
Marinate. Place the ribs in a large resealable bag or non-reactive dish. Pour about two-thirds of the marinade over the ribs, reserving the rest. Massage it into the meat so every inch is coated. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Bake. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a baking sheet with foil and place the ribs meat-side up. Cover tightly with another layer of foil. Bake for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the ribs are fork-tender and the meat pulls easily from the bone.Keep the foil sealed tight throughout the bake, this traps steam and keeps the ribs moist over the long cook time.
Make the glaze. While the ribs bake, simmer the reserved marinade in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. If you want a thicker glaze, whisk the cornstarch into a little water and stir it in, cooking until thickened.
Glaze and broil. Once the ribs are done, brush them generously with the glaze. Broil on high for 3–5 minutes, watching closely, until caramelized and lightly charred in spots.

Thai Ribs with Red Curry Marinade recipe

The two-part marinade trick

Splitting the marinade, most of it for soaking overnight, a reserved portion for glazing is what gives these ribs their depth. The overnight soak tenderizes and flavors the meat all the way through, while the reserved marinade, simmered down separately, becomes a concentrated glaze that’s never touched raw pork, so it’s safe to brush on generously at the end.

Make it your own

Claire’s note
These ribs can also go on the grill instead of the broiler for the final char, just watch them closely since the sugar in the glaze burns fast. For a milder version, use less curry paste; for more heat, add a spoonful of sriracha to the glaze. Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat well in a low oven, covered, until warmed through.

Serve with

Thai ribs with red curry marinade pair beautifully with coconut rice, a spicy green papaya salad, or grilled vegetables. For more from the Thai collection the complete Asian recipes guide has it all.

Add Thai ribs with red curry marinade to your weekly meal planner, marinate the night before for an easy, mostly hands-off dinner. And for more recipes, follow us on Pinterest.