Chinese Five Spice
Welcome to Sugar, Spice & Glitter! Please note, this post may contain affiliate links. For more details, see our Full Disclosure.
Today’s Easy Chinese Five Spice Seasoning recipe is a must-have for fans of Chinese cooking and makes a great gift for the gourmet in your life.
Chinese Five Spice Recipe
OK I’m going to be very transparent: I hate licorice and anything that tastes like it. And since Chinese Five Spice uses both fennel and star anise as two of its (ahem) FIVE spices, it is a seasoning recipe that I personally do not use.
However, since I’ve been trying to develop homemade seasoning recipes for you to swap out expensive store-bought spice blends with, I still wanted to provide a recipe for Chinese Five Spice… just don’t expect to find any recipes on my site using it!
Chinese Five Spice is an interesting spice as it hits all five of the taste groups: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami. It’s also earthy, slightly spicy (with a light cooling note from the fennel) and very aromatic.
The best cost savings with this recipe is to purchase your spices from a bulk store, or if that’s not an option, buy the large containers of the individual spices and herbs. Buying the little containers to make this seasoning would be crazy expensive (but ironically, still cheaper than using the seasoning packets).
This Chinese Five Spice is shelf-stable for up to a year, as long as you use fresh (dried) herbs and spices when you make it and store in a cool, dry spot in your kitchen.
This seasoning is gluten-free, paleo, low-carb and vegan and makes a great homemade gift.
What is Chinese Five Spice? Our Chinese Five Spice is made with a variety of common seasonings: fennel seeds, star anise, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns.
In Southern China, orange peel is often used instead of cloves. While we used traditional Sichuan peppercorns, white pepper or black peppercorns can alternatively be used.
Some versions also contain ginger, nutmeg, turmeric and/or cardamom.
What is the difference between five spice and seven spice? Other than the obvious difference of having a different number of ingredients, five spice is Chinese and seven spice is Japanese in origin. Seven Spice is made up of chilis, dried orange peel, sesame seeds (both white and black), dried ginger, seaweed and peppercorns, so the flavor profiles of these two spices are completely different.
Need some inspiration for how to use your Chinese Five Spice? Check out these recipes for how to use it:
- Sticky Crispy Chinese Pork Belly in a Slow Cooker from Somebody Feed Seb
- Salt and Pepper Tofu, Chinese Takeaway Style from Oh My Veg!
- Crockpot Paleo Chinese Pork from My Suburban Kitchen
- Dan Dan Noodles by Coley Cooks (pictured above)
- Kimchi Ramen by In the Kitch
- Five Spice Tofu by A Virtual Vegan (pictured above)
- Banh Mi Thit Nuong (Grilled Pork Sandwich) from Savory Sweet Spoon (pictured above)
- Easy Carrot Soup from Recipes From a Pantry
- Stewed Plums from Keep Calm and Eat Ice Cream
You can also use it on popcorn, homemade french fries or potatoes, chicken wings, or on roasted veggies. The options are endless!
Ingredients for Chinese Five Spice
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: if desired, swap out the cloves for dried orange peel for a Southern Chinese version of this classic spice blend.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Spice Grinder
- Measuring spoons
- Mason jars, for storing – I do not recommend plastic jars as they can hold moisture and you want to keep this seasoning mix dry to preserve freshness
How to Make Chinese Five Spice
Place all ingredient in a smoother blender with a fine-grain blade or a coffee bean grinder.
Puree until smooth.
Store in an airtight mason jar for up to one year.
Pin this Easy Recipe for Homemade Chinese Five Spice:
Grab your free printable recipe card for our Chinese Five Spice seasoning blend:
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Sugar, Spice and Glitter.
Chinese Five Spice
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons fennel seeds
- 6 Star Anise
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns
Instructions
- Place all ingredient in a smoother blender with a fine-grain blade or a coffee bean grinder.
- Puree until smooth.
- Store in an airtight mason jar for up to one year.
Notes
If desired, swap out the cloves for dried orange peel for a Southern Chinese version of this classic spice blend. Some versions also contain ginger, nutmeg, turmeric and/or cardamom.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
52USA Star Anise Whole, 4 Ounce (Pack of 1), NON-GMO Verified Chinese Star Anise Whole, Dried Star Anise Pods for Tea and baking -
Hamilton Beach Fresh Grind 4.5oz Electric Coffee Grinder for Beans, Spices and More, Stainless Steel Blades, Black (80335R)
-
VERONES Mason Jars Canning Jars, 4 OZ Jelly Jars With Regular Lids and Bands, Ideal for Jam, Honey, Wedding Favors, Shower Favors, Baby Foods, DIY Magnetic Spice Jars, 16 PACK,Extra 16 Lids
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 7Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
For more homemade pantry staples, check out our full pantry staples recipe collection here:
