8 Best Chinese 5 Spice Substitute Options Home Cooks Will Love

Chinese five spice powder is one the most easily accessible spice mixes commonly used in Chinese cuisine. However, it doesn't mean that you or your Asian or local grocery stores won't run out of it.

Thankfully, the stores and even your pantry have several Chinese 5 spice substitute options that you can use. That's exactly what I will share with you today!

Jump to:

• What Is Chinese Five Spice Powder?
• Best Chinese 5 Spice Substitutes
• Spice Up Your Dish With the Right Substitute
• Recipe

What Is Chinese Five Spice Powder?

Like with other ingredient substitutes, you can only find the answer to "What can I substitute for Chinese 5 spice powder?" if you have good knowledge about the spice mix.

Basically, the Chinese spice blend combines five flavors: sweet, sour, salty, savory, and bitter. Hence, you can use it for both sweet and savory dishes.

It usually contains five spices. One is Sichuan peppercorns or Szechuan peppercorns, which give it a bitter, citrusy flavor and hints of lavender. Another is ground cloves, known for their strong astringent and sweet-bitter flavor.

Meanwhile, the included ground fennel seeds give the spice mix a warm, sweet, anise-like flavor. For an added warm, sweet, spicy flavor that resembles licorice, the Chinese spice mix contains ground star anise.

Lastly, the spice mix contains Chinese cinnamon to help balance the flavor as it lends its warm, sweet taste and hints of spiciness.

You'll also find Chinese 5 spice products that incorporate ground ginger root, galangal, licorice, turmeric, nutmeg, cardamom, and/or orange peel.

Best Chinese 5 Spice Substitutes

With such a complex flavor, it might seem like finding a suitable substitute for Chinese 5 spice is next to impossible. You're mistaken. Here are my top recommendations that you can use to replace the spice:

1. Garam Masala

What better way to substitute Chinese five spice than with another spice blend, right?

Garam masala is one of the most famous spice blends used in Indian cuisine with an almost similar ingredient list as Chinese 5 spice. It usually contains the following:

• Nutmeg or mace (nutmeg's outer covering) and ground cinnamon or cassia bark, which are responsible for garam masala's sweetness. You can also use suitable mace substitute if desired.
• Ground clove, cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds and ground green or black cardamom pods that give garam masala an earthy, floral flavor.
• Ground black or white pepper that lends its slight heat or spiciness to the garam masala blend. If unavailable, consider a white pepper substitute for alternative options.

Of course, you'll also find garam masala products with added ingredients, including bay leaves, ginger, turmeric, saffron, garlic, tamarind, ground star anise seeds, ground or dried red chili, ground mustard seeds, and/or fenugreek.

Whatever variety you choose, I recommend gradually adding garam masala to your dish to ensure you get the right balance of flavor. Also, I suggest adding one cinnamon stick or a few dashes of ground cinnamon if you find the spice blend's sweetness lacking. Again, make sure you don't overdo it.

I also suggest that you find ground or whole Chinese cinnamon instead of Ceylon cinnamon because it's what's incorporated in Chinese 5 spice. So how different are they?

Ceylon cinnamon has more layers than Chinese cinnamon and is lighter, harder, and sweeter. Chinese cinnamon is slightly bitter, more pungent, and more affordable.

Best for: Garam masala's warm, aromatic blend of spices makes it a good substitute for Chinese 5 spice in recipes like stir-fries, marinades, or roasted meats, adding complexity and depth of flavor.

Related: What to Substitute for Saffron in Cooking? The Best Alternatives

2. Garam Masala + Star Anise

I mentioned earlier that you could add cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon to garam masala to help achieve the same sweetness as Chinese 5 spice. Star anise has the same effect but can further enhance the spiciness and warmth garam masala gives your dish.

To use this mix as a Chinese five spice powder substitute, replace one teaspoon of the spice with ¾ teaspoon of garam masala and ¼ teaspoon of ground star anise.

Best for: Garam masala combined with star anise creates a robust substitute for Chinese 5 spice, ideal for dishes like braised meats or soups, offering a rich blend of warm spices with a hint of licorice sweetness.

Related: The Star Anise Substitute List You Can Rely On

3. Allspice

This Caribbean spice produced from allspice berries is another one of the best Chinese five spice substitutes you can easily find at local grocery stores or already available in your pantry. It has a warm, earthy flavor with hints of sweetness. 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. However, you can also use dried whole allspice berries.

Simply add a tablespoon of the berries to your braising or pickling liquid. You may also add them directly by placing the dried whole allspice berries in a tiny muslin cloth bag so you can easily fish them out from your dish once it's ready.

Best for: Allspice's warm, peppery flavor makes it a suitable substitute for Chinese 5 spice in recipes like marinades, sauces, or spice rubs, imparting depth and complexity to dishes.

Related: Discover the Perfect Horseradish Substitute for Your Recipes

4. Cinnamon + Star Anise

As two of the most common Chinese 5 spice ingredients, the cinnamon start anise mix will have a flavor close to the spice. Specifically, it gives your dish a warm, sweet, licorice-like taste and aroma with warm, spicy notes.

Feel free to add some ground or whole black peppercorns if you want a spicier mix.

To use the cinnamon star anise mix as a substitute for Chinese five spice do the following:

1. Mix an equal amount of ground star anise and ground cinnamon.
2. Add the same amount of the blend as what the recipe calls for Chinese 5 spice.
3. If you want to add ground black pepper, use a dash or two.

When using whole star anise and cinnamon sticks, place one or two of each ingredient in a tiny muslin cloth and add it to your soups, stews, or braising liquids. Fish it out once you achieve the right flavor for your dish.

Best for: Cinnamon combined with star anise offers a balanced substitute for Chinese 5 spice, ideal for savory dishes like braised meats or stir-fries, providing warmth and aromatic depth.

Check out this delicious recipe: Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls

5. Dill and Cinnamon

Dillweed or dill is another herb you can easily purchase from your local grocery stores or most likely have in your pantry already. It has a star anise-like, grassy or citrusy flavor with sweet notes.

Adding cinnamon to dill enhances the sweet taste and aroma, closely resembling that of Chinese 5 spice powder.

To make the spice powder blend, combine equal amounts of dill and cinnamon powder. Then, replace the Chinese 5 spice powder with the same amount of the cinnamon dill blend.

If you're using dried dill, place a good amount of it in your mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or coffee grinder, and then grind it. For cinnamon sticks, cut them in half before placing them in your grinding tool.

Another way of turning the cinnamon into powder is by cutting the stickers in half and placing them in a small bag. Seal the bag and then pound it with your meat tenderizer.

Best for: Cinnamon combined with dill creates a unique substitute for Chinese 5 spice, suitable for recipes like roasted vegetables or soups, imparting a blend of warmth and herbal notes.

Related: What's the Best Dill Substitute? Every Alternative to Fresh Dill Weed

6. Fennel + Sichuan Peppercorns

Another pair of spices I love combining to make a Chinese 5 spice substitute is ground fennel seeds and ground Sichuan peppercorns.

The fennel seeds provide a fragrant, warm anise-like flavor and slightly sweet taste. Meanwhile, the Sichuan peppercorns will be responsible for the substitute's spiciness.

When replacing one teaspoon of Chinese 5 spice, combine ¾ teaspoon of ground fennel seeds and ¼ teaspoon of ground Sichuan peppercorns.

You can adjust the measurement by decreasing the amount of ground Sichuan peppercorn. Increasing it can throw off the balance of flavor, as its peppery taste can become mouth-numbing.

Another thing that I want you to remember is that Sichuan peppercorn can be quite expensive when compared to some spices. As such, you can replace it with black pepper.

However, you need to adjust the measurement since black pepper is less spicy than Sichuan pepper. That is unless, of course, you're looking to minimize your dish's spiciness.

Best for: Fennel combined with Sichuan peppercorns provides a flavorful substitute for Chinese 5 spice, perfect for recipes like stir-fried dishes or marinades, offering a balance of aromatic and numbing qualities.

Related: Sichuan Peppercorns Substitute: 9 Best Options for Spicy Dishes

8. Ras el Hanout

A spice blend popularly used in Moroccan cuisine, ras el hanout has a complex flavor that closely resembles Chinese 5 spice. It contains ground cumin, cloves, cardamom, coriander, anise seeds, ginger, turmeric, nutmeg, cinnamon, mace, cayenne pepper, black pepper, white pepper, and allspice.

Undoubtedly, ras el hanout will give your dish a warm, earthy taste and aroma with hints of sweetness. However, I find it lacks a bit of the Chinese 5 spice's licorice-like flavor. Thus, I add a few dashes of ground star anise or fennel seeds.

Also, ras el hanout has a texture that's a bit coarser than Chinese 5. When I need fine powder, I grind it using my mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or coffee grinder.

So how do you use ras el hanout as a Chinese 5 spice powder substitute? Simply add the same amount as what your recipe requires for Chinese 5.

Best for: Ras el Hanout's complex spice blend makes it a great substitute for Chinese 5 spice in dishes like tagines or couscous, and rice dishes, offering a rich and aromatic North African flavor profile.

Related: Best Zaatar Substitutes: Convenient, Savory, Healthy, All in One

9. Baharat

Another spice blend you can use as a Chinese five spice powder substitute is baharat, also known as Lebanese 7 spice. It has a warm, earthy flavor and aroma with a slight sweetness and spiciness.

Ingredient-wise, it will depend on the specific region the spice blend is made from. That said, the most common ones include ground cloves, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon or nutmeg, paprika, and black pepper. Some blends include ground allspice, ginger, and/or fenugreek.

Best for: Baharat's warm and aromatic blend of spices, including cinnamon and cloves, makes it a suitable stand-in for Chinese 5 spice in recipes like grilled meats or rice dishes, adding depth and richness.

Spice Up Your Dish With the Right Substitute

With my list, you no longer have to scratch your head and rack your brain each time you find yourself asking "What can I substitute for Chinese 5 spice powder?" From pre-made spice blends to pantry staples that you can combine, you will surely find one or more that will work for your recipe.

While they don't have a 100% similar flavor and aroma profile as Chinese 5 spice, they will give your dish its much-needed combination of flavors. It goes without saying that they'll spice up your dish without affecting its balance of flavor and overall quality.

Recipe