Skip to content
FriendsPantry
Caraway seeds

Spices & seasonings · Whole spices

Caraway seeds

Curved, dark brown seeds with a warm, sweet anise flavour; the taste of rye bread and sauerkraut.

Also called: caraway, caraway seed, kümmel, ground caraway

Around the world: Kümmel (de) · kömény (hu) · kminek (pl) · kummin (sv)

A kind of spices

16 recipes with it

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

Photo: OttawaAC, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

Caraway seeds are slim, curved, dark brown seeds with pale ridges. They taste sweetly anise-like and peppery, the familiar flavour of rye bread. They are often confused with cumin, which is lighter, straighter and earthy-musky. Indian 'shahi jeera' (black cumin) is a different spice, though sometimes sold as caraway.

Carum carvi

How it’s used

  • Rye bread and soda bread
  • Sauerkraut, coleslaw and cabbage dishes
  • Goulash and roast pork
  • Harissa and Tunisian tabil
  • Seed cakes and cheeses

Characteristics

Taste
Warm, sweet, anise-like.
Sold as
whole, ground
Cooking uses
Mainly a seasoning, Suitable for baking

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Airtight jar away from light; whole seeds keep well.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
333 kcal
Protein
19.77 g
Carbohydrate
49.9 g
Fat
14.59 g
Fibre
38 g
Sugars
0.64 g

USDA FoodData Central: Spices, caraway seed.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with caraway seeds

See all 16

4 more

More whole spices