Pastis substitutes
Pastis substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Ouzo or raki
Same amount as the pastis
Use ouzo or raki 1:1 for pastis, or sambuca at about two-thirds the amount because it is much sweeter. With no anise spirit at all, steep half a teaspoon of crushed fennel seeds and a small piece of star anise in two tablespoons of hot stock for ten minutes, strain, and use that. Recipes usually only call for a tablespoon or two, so this is an easy swap to get right.
- Verdict —
- Works
- Best for —
- bouillabaisse
Updated 26 Jul 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of pastis | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ouzo or rakibouillabaisse | Same amountWorks | Works |
| 2 | Sambucafish stews | 2 teaspoons per 1 tablespoon pastisTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Anisettefish stews | 2 teaspoons per 1 tablespoon pastisTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Absinthebouillabaisse | ½ tablespoon per 1 tablespoon pastisTweak it | Tweak it |
| 5 | Fennel seed and star anise infusion (no alcohol)bouillabaisse | ½ tsp crushed fennel seeds plus 1 star anise point per 2 tablespoons pastisWorks | Works |
| 6 | Dry vermouth or dry white wine plus crushed fennel seedmoules | Same amountPlus ¼ tsp crushed fennel seed per tablespoonTweak it | Tweak it |
Ouzo or raki
similar taste and texture
Greek and Turkish anise spirits made the same way, and the closest thing to pastis on a normal liquor shelf.
- Best for
- bouillabaisse, moules, fennel gratin, shellfish sauces
Drier and less sweet than Pernod, with a cleaner, more purely aniseed smell and none of pastis's faint caramel and herbal background. In a pot of bouillabaisse you will not notice the difference. Add it at the same point in the recipe.
Sambuca
different taste, similar texture
Italian anise liqueur, flavoured with star anise and elderflower and heavily sweetened.
- Best for
- fish stews, cream sauces, desserts
Roughly twice as sweet as pastis, so a savoury fish sauce made with a straight 1:1 swap tastes faintly of dessert. Use about two-thirds as much, and if the dish has any other sugar in it, leave that out. The anise aroma itself is very close.
Anisette
different taste, similar texture
Sweetened anise-seed liqueur, lower in alcohol than pastis.
- Best for
- fish stews, baking, poaching liquid
Sweeter and softer than pastis and with less alcoholic lift, so it perfumes the dish less forcefully. Use a little less than the recipe asks for and taste before adding more.
Absinthe
different taste, similar texture
The much stronger, wormwood-bitter ancestor of pastis.
- Best for
- bouillabaisse, rich shellfish sauces
Higher in alcohol and distinctly bitter and herbal from the wormwood, which can turn a delicate sauce medicinal. Use half as much and add it early enough that some of the alcohol cooks off.
Fennel seed and star anise infusion (no alcohol)
similar taste and texture
A quick steeped infusion that supplies the aroma without any alcohol.
- Best for
- bouillabaisse, moules, alcohol-free cooking, fish soup
Steep the crushed seeds and star anise in two tablespoons of the recipe's hot stock or water for ten minutes, then strain and stir in. You get the licorice-fennel perfume but not the alcoholic sharpness that carries it, so the aroma sits lower in the dish and is a bit softer and rounder. Very good in a long-simmered stew, less effective in a quick pan sauce.
Dry vermouth or dry white wine plus crushed fennel seed
different taste, similar texture
The pantry answer when you have no anise liqueur of any kind.
- Best for
- moules, pan sauces, fish braises
The wine covers the alcohol and acidity, and the fennel seed supplies the anise note, though it reads greener and more vegetal than the sweet licorice of pastis. Bruise the seeds in a mortar first so they release. Least authentic of the options here, but it does keep the dish recognisably Provencal.
Questions
5 questionsCan I just leave the pastis out?
Yes, in most recipes. It is an aroma, not a structural ingredient, and one or two tablespoons in a large pot of bouillabaisse or mussels is a background note rather than the point of the dish. The result will taste good but less distinctly southern French. If you want something in that gap, a pinch of crushed fennel seed costs nothing.
Is Pernod the same as pastis?
Pernod Anise is a brand of pastis, and so is Ricard. Both are anise liqueurs from the same tradition and either will do whatever your recipe wants. Confusingly, Pernod also makes an absinthe, which is much stronger and more bitter, so check the bottle.
What does pastis actually do in bouillabaisse?
It contributes aroma, not body, salt or acid. The alcohol carries the anise and herbal volatiles up out of the pot so you smell them before you taste anything, which is exactly why it goes in near the start and again sometimes in a small splash at the end.
Can I use anise extract or licorice candy instead?
Anise extract works if you are careful: use about a quarter teaspoon of extract per tablespoon of pastis, because extract is far more concentrated and easily overpowers a dish. Licorice candy is not a good idea, since most of it is flavoured with licorice root rather than anise and brings a lot of sugar and a slightly bitter, earthy taste.
Is there a non-alcoholic substitute for pastis?
Yes. Steep crushed fennel seeds and a piece of star anise in a little hot stock, then strain the liquid into the dish. Some non-alcoholic aperitifs also carry an anise note and can be used 1:1. Neither gives the alcoholic lift, so the aroma is quieter, but both are genuinely useful in a fish soup.
Tips for substituting pastis
5 tips- Pernod and Ricard are both pastis and are interchangeable in cooking, though Ricard is more licorice-forward and Pernod slightly sweeter and more herbal. If a recipe names one, buy whichever you find.
- Add pastis off the heat or early in a long simmer, not at the very end. Straight from the bottle into a finished sauce it tastes raw and solvent-like; a couple of minutes of cooking rounds it out.
- A tablespoon is usually plenty for four servings. Anise is one of those flavours that goes from an appealing background perfume to overwhelming toothpaste in about half a teaspoon, so start low and add more.
- Pastis and fennel amplify each other. If your bouillabaisse or fish braise already includes fennel bulb or fronds, cut the pastis back by a third or the licorice takes over.
- The bottle keeps almost forever in a cupboard, so a small one is a reasonable buy if you cook Provencal food. Sealed and out of direct sunlight it will not deteriorate the way an open bottle of wine does.