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Chinese Five-Spice

Chinese five-spice is an aromatic spice blend used to season meats, poultry, vegetables, and braised dishes.

Chinese Five-Spice — illustrative ingredient image

About Chinese Five-Spice

Chinese five-spice is an aromatic seasoning blend traditionally built around star anise, fennel, cassia or cinnamon, cloves, and Sichuan pepper. Commercial and regional blends vary, and the name does not guarantee a fixed formula or equal proportions of five ingredients.

It is strongly fragrant, with sweet, warm, woody, licorice-like, and peppery notes. The blend seasons roasted or braised meats, poultry, tofu, vegetables, marinades, and some savoury baked or fried foods.

Chinese five-spice may be sold as whole spices or as a prepared mixture, usually brown to reddish-brown. Whole spices release flavour gradually during cooking, while a ground or mixed form distributes more evenly through marinades, braises, rubs, and other seasoned dishes.

Ingredient type
seasoning

Forms & related ingredients

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Where chinese five-spice appears

1 linked foods

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Main dishes

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for chinese five-spice

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Chinese Five-Spice

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Chinese Five-Spice nutrition & diet

Chinese Five-Spice nutritional value

Product example: CHINESE FIVE SPICE (ACH Food Companies, Inc.)

Per 100 g of this specific product as recorded by USDA, per 100 g.

Calories
0kcal
Protein
0.0g
Carbs
0.0g
Fat
0.0g

A product-specific label example, not a generic average. Formulations can change; use the nutrition label on the product being eaten.

Portions & preparation

Use Chinese five-spice as a concentrated seasoning, measuring by the dish rather than treating it as a standalone food. Whole or freshly ground components may differ in aroma and intensity. Preparation with oils, sauces, meats, or starches changes the overall portion and composition of the finished food.

Compare the right form: Match references to the named Chinese five-spice blend, including its whole-spice or ground form and the edible amount used in a recipe.

Diet considerations

This is a plant-derived spice blend, but compatibility depends on the complete ingredient list and preparation. Commercial blends may include added salt, sugar, cereal-derived carriers, or other flavorings. Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, or egg additions change the dish’s animal-food status; carbohydrate exposure is generally portion- and recipe-dependent.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central branded product — CHINESE FIVE SPICE ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .