Are fennel and caraway the same?

No, though both are anise-scented seeds from the carrot family. Fennel is sweet and mild; caraway is sharper, warmer, and more savory, the classic flavor of rye bread.

Can I substitute caraway for fennel?

Yes, using a little less, since caraway is sharper and less sweet. Expect a more savory, rye-like note in place of fennel's gentle licorice.

Which seed is in rye bread?

Caraway. Its warm, sharp flavor is the one most people associate with rye bread and with central European dishes like sauerkraut.

Fennel vs caraway

Both are small ridged seeds from the carrot family with an anise note, so they are easy to confuse on the shelf. Caraway is the sharper, more savory of the two; fennel is sweeter and softer.

No. 18

Fennel seed

Sweet, warm, gentle licorice

medium

sweet herbal

Fennel seed is the dried fruit of Foeniculum vulgare, a feathery Mediterranean plant in the carrot family, with a sweet, gentle licorice flavor milder than anise. The greenish-tan seeds are warm and aromatic and turn nutty when toasted. Fennel is a signature of Italian sausage and many fish dishes, and across South Asia the seeds are chewed plain as a breath freshener. It belongs equally in savory cooking and baking. Whole seeds keep far better than ground and are easy to crush by hand.

No. 19

Caraway

Sharp, warm, anise, faintly citrus

medium

pungent herbal

Caraway is the dried seed of Carum carvi, a plant in the carrot family native to Europe and western Asia, with a sharp, warm, faintly anise flavor and a hint of citrus. The slim brown crescents look almost identical to cumin seeds, a common mix-up, but the two taste clearly different: caraway is brighter and more aniseed, cumin is earthier and warmer. Caraway defines rye bread, sauerkraut, and many central European dishes, and it pairs with cabbage, pork, and aged cheese. It also turns up in the North African chile paste harissa.

Which to use when

Use fennel for a sweet, mild licorice in sausage, fish, and tomato sauce. Use caraway for its sharper, warmer, almost citrusy bite in rye bread, cabbage, and sauerkraut. They swap in a pinch, fennel for a sweeter result, caraway for a more savory one, but their characters pull in different directions.

Common questions

Are fennel and caraway the same?: No, though both are anise-scented seeds from the carrot family. Fennel is sweet and mild; caraway is sharper, warmer, and more savory, the classic flavor of rye bread.
Can I substitute caraway for fennel?: Yes, using a little less, since caraway is sharper and less sweet. Expect a more savory, rye-like note in place of fennel's gentle licorice.
Which seed is in rye bread?: Caraway. Its warm, sharp flavor is the one most people associate with rye bread and with central European dishes like sauerkraut.

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