Star anise
star AN-iss
Illicium verum
Sweet, warm, strong licorice.
What it is
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.
What it pairs with
Goes wrong with: delicate dishes where licorice would clash.
Whole vs ground
Whole stars infuse liquids cleanly and are removed before serving. Ground star anise is potent and added in small pinches.
How to handle it
Drop whole stars into broths, braises, and poaching liquid early so the flavor has time to develop, then fish them out. Use ground sparingly.
Storage
Airtight and dark. Whole stars keep their aroma for a year or more.
Buying note
Look for whole, intact stars with a strong licorice smell. Broken bits are fine for grinding.
Classic dishes
pho, Chinese five spice, red-braised pork, mulled drinks.
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 |
One odd thing
Star anise is unrelated to true anise, but both get their licorice flavor from the same compound, anethole.