Caraway Seeds

The warm, nutty spice herb worth a spot in your garden

Caraway (Carum carvi) is a hardy biennial herb in the carrot family, grown for its crescent-shaped seeds and their warm, nutty, slightly licorice flavor. It is the taste behind rye bread, sauerkraut, goulash, and many cheeses and cordials. In its first year the plant forms a low rosette of feathery, carrot-like leaves; in its second it sends up lacy white flower heads that ripen into fragrant, easy-to-harvest seed.

How to grow caraway from seed

Caraway is straightforward to start from seed and very cold hardy. Sow caraway seeds about a half inch deep in a sunny, well-drained bed, then thin the seedlings to stand a few inches apart. Plants grow to roughly 2 feet tall and, as a biennial, usually flower and set seed in their second summer, about a year to 15 months from sowing. Caraway forms a taproot and resents being moved, so it does best direct-sown where it will grow. For the full step-by-step, see our complete guide to growing caraway from seed.

How to use caraway

The seeds are the prize. Toast them lightly to bring out their aroma, then knead them into rye and soda breads, stir them into sauerkraut, cabbage, and potato dishes, or fold them into cheeses, sausages, and spice blends. Caraway is a signature flavor in cordials such as aquavit and kummel, and the seeds are also traditionally brewed into a warming after-dinner herbal tea. The young leaves and roots are edible too and can be used much like parsley or parsnip.

Caraway and its licorice-scented cousins

If you love caraway, you will enjoy its aromatic carrot-family relatives. Try anise for a sweeter licorice seed, fennel for the same family flavor in a leafy form, or dill for bright, feathery greens and seed. You can explore the full range in our herb seeds collection.

Why buy caraway seeds from Organo Republic

Every packet of caraway seed we sell is non-GMO, open-pollinated heirloom, and germination tested, so you can sow with confidence. As a U.S.-based licensed seed dealer, we work directly with trusted growers to keep quality high and prices low, and every pack carries a QR code that links straight to free online growing guides. Orders over $49 ship free. Whether you want a single pack of caraway or a curated herb collection, you will find dependable, easy-to-grow seed here.