Anise vs star anise
They share a name and a licorice flavor, but they come from two unrelated plants on opposite sides of the world. Both owe their taste to the same compound, anethole.
Anise
Sweet, strong licorice, warm
Anise is the small seed of Pimpinella anisum, a Mediterranean plant in the carrot family, with a sweet, warm, strongly licorice flavor from anethole. It is the original licorice spice and flavors liqueurs like ouzo, sambuca, and pastis, as well as breads, cookies, and some sausages. Despite the shared name and flavor, it is unrelated to star anise, a different plant that happens to make the same compound. Anise is milder and sweeter than fennel in some uses and stronger in others, so the three licorice spices are easy to mix up.
Star anise
Sweet, warm, strong licorice
Star anise is the dried, star-shaped fruit of Illicium verum, an evergreen tree from southern China and Vietnam, named for its eight woody points. It tastes sweet and warm with a strong licorice note from anethole, the same compound found in anise and fennel, though the plants are unrelated. A little carries a long way. It is essential to Chinese five spice and to slow-simmered broths like pho, and it pairs with pork, beef, and braises. Whole stars infuse liquids and are pulled out before serving; ground star anise is powerful and added with restraint.
Which to use when
Reach for anise, the small seed, in baking, breads, and sweets where you want a soft, sweet licorice. Reach for star anise, the woody pod, in slow braises, broths, and Chinese five spice, where its stronger, more medicinal note can stand up to long cooking. Star anise is the more powerful of the two, so a single pod often does the work of a spoonful of seeds.
Out of anise? Substitutes
No substitute is exact. These are the closest by flavor behavior, with the ratio to start from and how the result will differ.
| Use instead | Ratio | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Fennel seed | use a bit more | milder and greener, less sweet |
| Star anise | use less | stronger and woodier, can overpower |
Out of star anise? Substitutes
No substitute is exact. These are the closest by flavor behavior, with the ratio to start from and how the result will differ.
| Use instead | Ratio | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Fennel seed | use more, to taste | milder and greener, less intense licorice |
| Chinese five spice | to taste | brings the other four spices along too |
Common questions
- Are anise and star anise the same thing?
- No. They are unrelated plants that happen to share the compound anethole, which gives both their licorice flavor. Anise is the small seed of a Mediterranean herb; star anise is the dried, star-shaped fruit of an Asian evergreen.
- Can I substitute star anise for anise?
- Yes, using much less, since star anise is stronger and woodier. Grind a small piece in place of the seeds and taste as you go, because it can take over a delicate batter.
- Which one is used in Chinese five spice?
- Star anise. Its bold, warm licorice is one of the five core flavors, alongside cassia, clove, fennel, and Sichuan pepper.
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