This Fennel Spice Rub is one of my favorite things I tried when I first started this website. It's a little spicy, a little sweet despite no sugar, and takes just a few minutes to put together!
I call this a fennel spice rub because I notice fennel the most, but it also includes coriander, cumin, black pepper, and anise, which adds an additional licorice or fennel flavor. Cayenne pepper adds a little heat. It was the only way I seasoned salmon for years, and I use it often on pork and chicken.
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Ingredients
I adapted this spice rub from Alton Brown's Spice Pomade, which I first made early on in 2010 as part of my 365 recipe challenge. I got rid of the oil he included, and cut it back to 7 spices, plus salt.
Fennel seed is the spice that stands out the most to me. It's the prominent spice in Italian sausage, and what makes pizza sauce different from pasta sauce. Candy-coated seeds are at the exit at some Indian restaurants, as a breath freshener. Overall, they have a faintly licorice flavor.
Fennel seeds can be a bit pricey, mainly because you can't always buy the store brand. Once you've got fennel seeds (affiliate link), though, you can make my Fennel-Crusted Pork Loin with Potatoes and Pears!
Coriander seeds are the round, smooth seeds of cilantro, and has a different flavor from fresh cilantro leaves. You can find them whole or ground. It's used in Mexican and Indian cuisines.
I usually find cumin ground, rather than whole, but either will work. You'll be most used to finding cumin in chili powder blends and Mexican food in the United States, but it can also be used in Indian food as well.
Anise seeds are the other unusual ingredient in this spice rub. (If all you can find is star anise, you can use a whole pod instead of the anise seed.) They also taste faintly of licorice, and are slightly sweet. I don't like licorice, but I do like the slightly herbal taste of anise. Once you've got it, you can use it in my Anise and Honey Ice Cream!
I cut the onion powder in Alton Brown's recipe, and doubled up on garlic powder. You can swap it back in if you'd rather.
You can use whole or ground black pepper, and can skip the cayenne if you're wary of heat. If using kosher salt, cut the quantity of table salt in half.
Tip: Finding Spices
I usually find fennel, anise, and coriander in the spice/baking aisle at the grocery store, but they are often name brand and expensive. Check your international or ethnic foods aisle as well. I've found fennel and coriander with Indian food, and Target also has store brands of both. Anise can sometimes be found with Mexican or Italian ingredients.
Mixing Instructions
If your ingredients are already ground, just mix the spices together, and you're done! That said, I do prefer the finer texture that comes with grinding them together, even for ground spices.
With whole spices, you can use a coffee grinder, bullet blender (affiliate link), or mortar and pestle to grind them together.
Just add all the spices to your coffee grinder or bullet blender (affiliate link) cup with the flat blade, and grind together for 20-30 seconds. Give the appliance a couple of brief shakes while you grind so everything's mixed together well.
With a mortar and pestle, use the pestle to crush the spices against the sides and bottom of the mortar. Your goal will be to break open the seeds of all the spices; you'll have to decide if you want the spices coarsely ground or finely ground. Using the mortar and pestle will likely take a while to get everything mixed together well. I never liked using one, for that exact reason.
I cannot recommend using this spice mix without crushing or grinding the seeds somehow. Fennel can be a strong taste, and I think it's best to have it mixed in with other spices if you've never tried it before.
Using the Spice Rub
I love this spice rub on salmon; this recipe will make enough to coat a 3 pound piece of salmon thickly. In fact, it's the only way I seasoned salmon for years.
Fennel spice rub is also great on pork chops, and I think it would also be good on chicken, sweet potatoes, potatoes, or other vegetables.
I generally season meat heavily with this rub, but I recommend not overdoing it when you try it for the first time.
- Sprinkle seasoning on meat. I used about 2 teaspoons of rub on this 1-pound piece of salmon, which is a good starting quantity.
Optionally, give the spices a spray with cooking oil; this will help them develop their flavor, especially if you're not using a fatty meat.
- Cook your food as you usually would. For this piece of salmon, we cooked it over medium direct heat on a gas grill for 10 minutes total, flipping once.
I wish we had sprayed the spices with cooking oil here; they still look a bit dry in spots.
Store any leftover spice rub in an empty spice jar or other glass container. PS: don't forget to label it!
FAQ
Fennel can refer to either the fennel bulb, the fennel fronds, or fennel seeds. The fennel bulb is the weird looking vegetable that looks a little like celery growing every which way. It tastes licoricey, but mellows nicely when roasted until very tender. The fronds are the feathery-looking leaves at the ends of the bulb and stems; they're also edible, and rather herbal tasting. Fennel seeds come from the same plant, and are shelf-stable and also taste of licorice, in a slightly different way. To make this spice rub, you need the seeds, which you'll find in the baking aisle.
You can substitute a star anise pod for the anise seeds (or aniseed) in the spice rub; you'll need to grind the mixture much more. If you really can't find any anise, you can skip it since it's a small amount. Your mixture won't be faintly sweet.
Side Dishes
Here's a few recipes that would go great with your spice-rubbed salmon or pork!
Interested in other recipes? I save and share recipes I like or want to try on my Pinterest page - follow me there! You can also check out my Facebook page for more recipes and helpful tips. I'm also happy to try to help troubleshoot my recipes there.
Have you tried this recipe? Or have a question about it? Rate it or leave a comment below! (PS: rating my recipes helps other people find them, too!)
📖 Recipe
Fennel Spice Rub
Equipment
- bullet blender (affiliate link)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon fennel seed
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon anise seed
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Grind all ingredients in a small food processor, coffee grinder, or bullet blender (affiliate link). Process for 20-30 seconds, or until finely ground.
- Sprinkle to taste over salmon or pork. This seasoning can cover 3 pounds of salmon thickly. Grill, sear, or bake as usual.
Notes
[Originally written September 5, 2018. Post revised and updated, with new photos, on June 6, 2025.]
Leona Konkel says
I love my fennel spice rub. I'm sad when I run out of it, although luckily it only takes a few minutes to toss together. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!