Ground Cumin (pronounced "khu-min"), Cuminum cyminum, is also called cumin powder, cumin spice or cumin seasoning.

Cumin has an essential oil content of between 2.5% to 4.5%.

Ground cumin is made by grinding whole cumin seeds. Because of its high volatile oil content, it is best to use freshly ground cumin for maximum flavor. We grind cumin several times a week in our facility for peak freshness. We also prefer a slightly coarser grind as the finer the grind, the more surface area of the spice is exposed, which leads to quicker degradation of flavor.

Cumin is closely related to anise, caraway, coriander, dill, and fennel. Native to the Mediterranean and northern Africa, cumin is one of the most commonly consumed spices worldwide, right after chiles and pepper.

A key spice in Indian, Mexican, and Vietnamese cuisine, it wasn’t until the 1960s, with the rise of Taco Bell, that cumin started gaining prominence in the United States. Cumin is popular with our craft sauce manufacturers, Mexican restaurants, and independent spice shops.

Flavor Profile

Ground Cumin has a distinctive flavor with an earthy, nutty, spicy taste, somewhat bitter undertones, and a warm, penetrating aroma with hints of lemon.

It is not the same sort of spicy that you would say black pepper or chiles are, but it does have an intensity.

How to Use

Cumin has long been a signature spice for cooks in the Far East, Latin America, Mexico, the Middle East, and North Africa. It is a key ingredient in various spice blends and many beans, couscous, curry, rice, and vegetable dishes. We recommend using cumin sparingly as it is quite potent and can easily overwhelm a dish.

Some of our favorite recipes using cumin are Moorish Pork Skewers, Flat Iron Steak, and Chipotle Cumin Gourmet Ketchup.

Cumin shines when added to beans, bread, cabbage, pungent cheeses, chicken, eggplant, lamb, lentils, onions, potatoes, rice, sauerkraut, and squash.

Cumin works well with spices like allspice, anise seed, brown mustard, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, paprika, turmeric, and yellow mustard.

Cumin is one of those spices that doesn't have a flavor equivalent. In some recipes, if you are looking for a bit of earthiness and don't mind a little extra color, you can substitute cumin with turmeric. Some people say that caraway seed is a good substitute because of its potency, but it has a very different flavor profile and might not suit your recipe well.

Add these substitutes with caution, tasting often.