Dill Seeds Dill (Anethum graveolens) is an annual herb in the celery family. It is the sole species of the genus Anethum. Dill seed's most common use, in the United States, is to flavor cucumber pickles. Use 2-3 teaspoons per quart for dill pickles. These seeds are also used in Scandinavian cooking to flavor bread, potatoes, vegetables, sauerkraut. For German pork roast, use 1 teaspoon per pound of meat. Dill is one of the earliest cultivated herbs, showing up in Neolithic burial sites, Greek and Roman ruins, and even the tomb of Amenhotep.