Natural form

Whole dried star anise pods showing the characteristic eight-pointed star shape.

Teaches the reader the defining visual — the symmetrical star geometry, dark mahogany color, and seed-bearing carpels.

Spices

Star Anise

Star-shaped pods with sweet licorice for broths and braises

Beautiful eight-pointed pods with a sweet licorice note, star anise deepens pho broth, braises, and mulled drinks. Use whole pods and remove before serving. Keep airtight.

Star anise is a striking eight-pointed pod with a sweet, warm licorice flavor — deeper and more robust than aniseed, though unrelated to it. It's a cornerstone of Chinese five-spice and Vietnamese pho, and infuses braises (red-cooked pork), mulled wine, syrups, and poaching liquids. Use whole pods to steep, then remove them; the flavor is potent, so one or two pods usually suffice. Ground star anise blends into spice mixes and baking. Its anethole gives it a licorice character that pairs as well with savory braised meats as with sweet poached fruit and warm drinks.

Measured in: g
Storage: Airtight

Find it in

Spices SeasoningInternational

Types & varieties

Whole pods

Infuse broths and braises, then remove; strongest form.

Ground star anise

For five-spice, baking, and rubs; fades faster.

In five-spice powder

A defining component of Chinese five-spice.

How to use

Drop one or two whole pods into a simmering broth, braise, or syrup to infuse their licorice warmth, then fish them out before serving. Grind it into five-spice and spice rubs, or use it to deepen mulled wine and poached fruit.

Infuse whole pods, then remove before serving
One or two pods is usually enough
Pairs with both braised meats and poached fruit

Star anise vs aniseed

Despite the shared licorice flavor, star anise and aniseed come from completely unrelated plants. Star anise is more robust and warming; they can sometimes stand in for one another but aren't identical.

Common uses

Vietnamese pho brothChinese five-spice and red-cooked porkMulled wine and ciderPoached pears and fruitBraised short ribs and oxtailSpice rubs for duck and porkChai and spiced syrups