Chinese five spice (五香粉) is a traditional Chinese powder that adds sweet, sour, salty, and bitter flavors to a dish. It is typically made with five spices: Star anise (八角), Chinese cinnamon (肉桂), Fennel seeds (小茴香), Szechuan peppercorns (花椒), and Cloves (丁香).
You get the licorice taste from star anise, earthy flavors from cinnamon and fennel seeds, and a numbing sensation from the Szechuan peppercorns.
If you need this special powder but don’t have one, there are five alternatives you can choose from that will yield a similar taste.
Some alternatives that I share won’t be exactly the same, but it is good enough to replace it and add a similar flavor. These are excellent alternatives, especially if you only need a tablespoon or a small amount for your recipe.
1. Homemade Chinese Five Spice Powder
The best alternative to store-bought Chinese five spice powder is a homemade version. In my Homemade Chinese Five Spice Powderrecipe, you’ll need the following:
- 20 g Star anise
- 5 g Chinese cinnamon
- 15 g Fennel seeds
- 12 Szechuan peppercorns
- 5 g Cloves
- 3 g Bay leaves
The star anise and cinnamon are first broken into small pieces and then toasted in the pan with the fennel seeds, Szechuan peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaves. Afterward, the spices are cooled and ground into fine powder. When you are done, keep it in a sealed spice jar and use it when needed.
2. Ground Cinnamon
If you only have cinnamon, you can use it alone as a substitute. The ratio of cinnamon to Chinese five spice is 1:1. Substitute 1 tablespoon of Chinese five spice with 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon.
You can also use 1 cinnamon stick for every tablespoon of Chinese five spice. Don’t forget to remove the cinnamon stick when you are done cooking the dish. If you have ground fennel seeds, ground garlic, and any ground pepper, you can also mix them with the ground cinnamon.
3. Ground Cinnamon And Ground Star Anise
Cinnamon and star anise are among the common spices to find in a grocery store that can help you make the closest substitute to Chinese five spice powder. You can swap Chinese five spice with a mix of ground cinnamon and ground star anise. This will give you the spiciness and warmth of cinnamon and the licorice taste of star anise.
Mix 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon with 1 tablespoon of star anise. You can follow a 1:1 ratio of ground cinnamon and star anise mix to Chinese five spice powder. If you don’t have ground cinnamon and ground star anise, you can use whole cinnamon sticks and whole star anise.
These can be broken into small pieces and ground with a blender. You can also simply cook the dish with the whole pieces to let the flavor infuse with the dish, but remember to remove them after cooking it.
4. Allspice
Allspice is a combination of nutmeg, cloves, ginger, pepper, and cinnamon flavors. It has a strong pungent aroma that is warm and spicy.
It is the best alternative to Chinese five spice since it is a single spice powder without needing to combine with other spices.
Replace 1 tablespoon of Chinese five spice with 1/2 tablespoon of allspice. If you wish to add more, use 1 tablespoon instead of 1/2 tablespoon of allspice.
5. Szechuan Peppercorn And Fennel Seeds
The combination of Szechuan peppercorn and fennel seeds will give you a similar effect of numbing and tingling sensation. It will have a subtle sweetness and mild star anise-like taste with the fennel seeds. If you don’t have Szechuan peppercorn, you can replace it with black peppercorn.
However, black peppercorns will not emit the same citrusy and numbing sensation of the Szechuan peppercorn. Black peppercorn is more spicy, woody, and warm. You can swap 1 tablespoon of Chinese five spice with a mix of 1/2 tablespoon of ground Szechuan peppercorn and 1/2 tablespoon of ground fennel seeds.
Final Thoughts
Do you have a recommended substitute for Chinese five spice powder that is not mentioned in the list? Share your recommendations in the comments section below. For more spice guides, stay up-to-date by following Kitchen Misadventures on Instagramand Tiktok.
FAQs
Whilst you're never going to get the classic flavour that Chinese 5 spice provides with a substitute, there are some seasonings that come pretty close. Star anise, allspice, garam masala, sichuan peppercorns and cinnamon sticks are all worthy replacements – but the real stuff is always best!
What is a good substitute for Chinese 5 spice? ›
Whilst you're never going to get the classic flavour that Chinese 5 spice provides with a substitute, there are some seasonings that come pretty close. Star anise, allspice, garam masala, sichuan peppercorns and cinnamon sticks are all worthy replacements – but the real stuff is always best!
What are the Chinese 5 spice variations? ›
While there are many variants, a common mix is:
- Star anise (bājiǎo 八角)
- Cloves (dīngxiāng 丁香)
- Chinese cinnamon (ròuguì 肉桂)
- Sichuan pepper (huājiāo 花椒)
- Fennel seeds (xiǎohuíxiāng 小茴香)
Allspice
Its specific taste resembles a combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, and cloves. With this flavor profile, you can swap Chinese 5 spice with the same amount of ground allspice in your recipe.
Is there a difference between 5 spice and Chinese 5 spice? ›
In the culinary arts, five spice (also known as Chinese five spice) is a blend of ground spices used in Chinese and Vietnamese cooking.
Is Japanese 7 spice similar to Chinese 5 Spice? ›
To start with, Chinese five spice is Chinese in origin. Seven spice powder is Japanese, and also called shichimi togarashi. Unlike Five Spice, Seven spice's foundation is comprised of chilis, dried orange peel, sesame seed, dried ginger, and seaweed, as well as Sichuan peppercorns.
What is Chinese five spice powder a mixture of? ›
Five spice is a blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds. If you don't have Sichuan peppercorns to hand, you could substitute them for black peppercorns – the flavour will still be nice, although it won't have the same heat.
What is Chief Chinese 5 Spice? ›
It is made by grinding star anise and fennel and pepper and cloves and cinnamon. Five spice is used well with fatty meats like pork and duck. It is used in stir fried vegetables and as a spice rub for chicken, duck, pork and seafood.
What is the most common Chinese spice? ›
Popular herbs like ginger, garlic, scallions, star anise, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorns are frequently used in Chinese cooking because of their therapeutic properties, in addition to their ability to improve the flavour, aroma, and texture of food.
What do you put in Chinese 5 spice? ›
Warm, sweet, and wondrous, Chinese five spice is a favorite for barbecue, braised dishes, roasted veggies, quick stir fries, noodle dishes, and even desserts. This blend creates a shortcut into authentic Chinese flavors, but you'll soon find yourself fusing it into all types of cooking.
The Thai equivalent of the Chinese five spice or the Indian garam masala, this is an all-purpose seasoning blend which is used in Thai style stir fries to bring out the full flavour of the food.
Why is Chinese 5 spice so good? ›
Chinese 5 spice is one of the most famous flavor in culinary world. Using this spice will give your cooking an Asian and Middle East taste. The combination of cinnamon, star anise, fennel seed, Sichuan pepper, and cloves creates an amazing sweet and spicy taste in the incredible fragrance.
What is another name for Chinese five spice? ›
Known as Wu Xiang Fen (五香粉) in Chinese, five spice powder is a type of ground spice blend commonly used in Chinese cuisine. Unlike what its name suggests, it doesn't necessarily contain only five spices. Usually, the number is a little higher.
What is a good substitute for Chinese five spice? ›
3. Ground Cinnamon And Ground Star Anise. Cinnamon and star anise are among the common spices to find in a grocery store that can help you make the closest substitute to Chinese five spice powder. You can swap Chinese five spice with a mix of ground cinnamon and ground star anise.
Is Chinese 5 spice like garam masala? ›
Garam Masala
I was surprised how similar the Indian spice blend Garam Masala is to Chinese 5-Spice. Both contain fennel, cinnamon and cloves but Garam Masala includes carraway seeds and cardamom. And is missing the star anise. Given they are so similar just substitute 1:1.
Is all purpose seasoning the same as Chinese 5 Spice? ›
No, you can't. They have dissimilar and incompatible flavor profiles. Chinese five spice is made with cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns.
Is Chinese 5 spice the same as salt and pepper? ›
Unlike the name suggests, the salt and pepper spice mix usually consists of far more than just salt and pepper. It's often a mix of salt, white pepper/Sichuan pepper, Chinese 5 spice, MSG, and sugar.
Is Chinese 5 Spice same as 7 spice? ›
At first glance seven spice powder may sound like a variant on Chinese five spice powder, but they couldn't be more different. Or rather, they're exactly as different as their native cuisines. Five spice, fragrant with sweet and spicy anise flavors, is the perfect compliment to meaty Chinese braises and barbecues.
Can I use Thai 7 spice instead of Chinese 5 spice? ›
The Thai equivalent of the Chinese five spice or the Indian garam masala, this is an all-purpose seasoning blend which is used in Thai style stir fries to bring out the full flavour of the food.
