Dutch Caraway Seeds

Use when baking rye bread or brown bread recipes. Sprinkle it over potato salad or coleslaw for a sharper edge than either dish usually gets. Stir caraway into Hungarian goulash or paprikash for authentic flavor.

Add it to homemade sauerkraut before fermenting, where it's one of the most classic seasonings the cabbage can take.

Whole caraway also works chewed raw, and is known as a traditional way to freshen breath or ease digestion after a heavy meal.

Caraway is native to Asia and parts of Europe, though we source ours from Holland. It's one of those spices that quietly defines entire cuisines rather than announcing itself. Hungarian and German cooking lean on it constantly, in everything from goulash to sauerkraut to rye bread, precisely because its sharpness cuts through rich, fatty, slow-cooked dishes.

Dutch Caraway Seeds Q&A

What are caraway seeds?

Caraway seeds come from the caraway plant & are similar to anise and fennel in earthy flavor. Often used in baking.

Where do caraway seeds come from?

Caraway seeds come from both Asia and Europe, though we source ours from Holland.

What do caraway seeds taste like?

Caraway seeds taste nutty & sharp in flavor and overall aroma. Similar to cumin or fennel.

What are caraway seeds used for in cooking?

Caraway seeds are commonly used in baking recipes, such as rye or brown bread, and in traditional Hungarian and German dishes like goulash, paprikash, and sauerkraut. You can also cook with caraway when making sausage, or homemade crackers.

Why do Hungarian dishes like goulash use caraway seeds?

Caraway's sharpness cuts through the richness of a slow-cooked stew, which is exactly what goulash and paprikash need to keep from tasting flat or heavy. It's one of the defining background flavors in Hungarian cooking, even though it rarely gets top billing on the ingredient list.

Do caraway seeds need to be toasted before using?

No, but lightly toasting them in a dry pan for a minute or two brings out more aroma, especially useful in a rub or dressing rather than something baked, where the oven does that work already.