Caraway and cumin are two popular spices people often confuse with one another. Still, caraway has a slightly sweet and anise-like flavor, while cumin has a more pungent and smoky taste. Caraway seeds go into rye bread, sauerkraut, and German-style dishes. At the same time, cumin is a staple ingredient in Middle Eastern, Mexican, and Indian cuisines, often used in dishes like chili, curries, and falafel.
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What is caraway?

Caraway seeds come from a biennial plant (Carum carvi) belonging to the family Apiaceae, and it is commonly grown in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It is a spice popular in European, Middle Eastern, and Indian dishes.
The seeds of the caraway plant have an intense, anise-like licorice flavor, which is warm, slightly sweet, and nutty.
They often flavor bread, cheese, cabbage dishes, soups, stews, and sauerkraut. The oil extracted from caraway seeds is common in perfumes, soaps, essential oils, and other cosmetic products.
Caraway is also rich in antioxidants, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, copper, and magnesium.
What is cumin?

Cumin comes from a flowering plant (Cuminum cyminum) belonging to the family Apiaceae, native to the Middle East and India. It is a spice widely used in Mexican, Indian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and North African cuisines.
Cumin seeds have a warm, earthy, and slightly bitter flavor, with a strong aroma reminiscent of the Mediterranean. They can flavor chili, curry, stews, soups, and spice blends such as garam masala, curry powder, and taco seasoning.
Cumin is also used in traditional medicine for its numerous health benefits, like treating digestive problems, respiratory conditions, and inflammation.
What is the difference between caraway seed and cumin seed?

In the Indian language, “jeera” means both cumin and caraway, which can be confusing, so here is a detailed comparison between caraway and cumin seeds:
Origin
Caraway seeds are native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia.
Cumin seeds, on the other hand, are native to the eastern Mediterranean region, Egypt, and the Middle East.
Appearance
Caraway seeds are small, crescent-shaped, and have a pale brown color. They have a distinct pattern of ridges on the surface.
Cumin seeds are oblong-shaped, have a slightly curved appearance, and have a dark brown color. They also have a distinctive pattern of ridges on their surface, but their ridges are more prominent than those of caraway seeds.
Flavor
Caraway seeds have a warm, sweet, and nutty flavor with a hint of anise.
Cumin seeds have a warm, earthy, and slightly bitter flavor with a hint of citrus.
Applications
Caraway seeds are a usual ingredient in bread, cakes, pastries, sauerkraut, meat dishes, cheese, and alcoholic beverages and liqueurs like aquavit, schnapps, kummel, and gin.
Cumin seeds go with various dishes, including soups, stews, Indian curries, kormas chili, and roasted meat dishes. They work well with spice blends like garam masala and taco seasoning.
Shelf Life
Both caraway and cumin seeds can sit for up to 2 years in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Form
Both caraway and cumin seeds are available in dried, raw, and powdered form. In addition, caraway seeds are also available in oil form, while cumin seeds are commonly used in whole or ground form.
Comparison Table
Caraway seeds | Cumin seeds | |
Origin | Europe, North Africa, Western Asia | Eastern Mediterranean region, Egypt, Middle East |
Appearance | A small, crescent-shaped, pale brown, distinct pattern of ridges | Oblong-shaped, slightly curved, yellowish-brown, prominent ridges |
Flavor | Warm, slightly sweet, and nutty with a hint of anise | Warm, earthy, and slightly bitter with a hint of citrus |
Applications | Bread, pastries, sauerkraut, meat dishes, cheese, alcoholic beverages | In soups, stews, curries, chili, roasted meat dishes, spice blends |
Shelf life | Up to 2 years if stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight | Up to 2 years if stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight |
Form | Dried raw, powdered, and oil form | Whole seed or ground form, occasionally powdered |
How to use cumin?
Dried ground cumin is the most commonly used form of cumin, and it is added to spice blends, marinades, and rubs.
Whole cumin seeds can be dry-roasted in a pan to release their aroma and flavor before being ground into a powder — this enhances their nutty and toasty flavor.
Cumin seeds can also be used as a flavoring in soups, stews, and curries by adding them to the hot oil at the beginning of cooking.
Some recipes using cumin include:
- Tacos
- Curry dishes
- Hummus
- Falafel
- Shakshuka
Must try recipe: Chili con carne
Cumin adds a warm and subtle flavor to the dish (when used in small quantities). It can taste spicy and slightly bitter if used in larger quantities.
How to use caraway?
Dried ground caraway is the most commonly used form of caraway, and it is added to spice blends, bread, and meat dishes.
Whole caraway seeds can be dry-roasted in a pan to release their aroma and flavor before being ground into a powder.
Caraway seeds can flavor soups, stews, and sauerkraut.
Some recipes using caraway include:
- Rye bread
- Sauerkraut
- Roast pork
- Irish soda bread
Must try recipe: Caraway seed cake
Can I use caraway instead of cumin?
Even if they have different flavor profiles, there are some recipes where you can substitute cumin for caraway:
- Rye bread: Caraway seeds are frequently in rye bread, but you can use cumin instead for a slightly different flavor.
- Meat dishes: Cumin can be used instead of caraway seeds in meat dishes such as stews and roasts.
- Spice blends: Cumin can work as a substitute for caraway seeds in spice blends such as garam masala or zaatar.
Use caraway seeds as a substitute for cumin seeds and ground caraway as a substitute for ground cumin. To start, replace cumin with half the amount of caraway, and adjust if necessary.
Other substitutes for cumin or caraway include:
- Ground coriander
- Fennel seeds
- A combination of ground fennel and chili powder
- Black cumin (Nigella sativa or nigella seeds)