diff --git a/spec/std/csv/csv_parse_spec.cr b/spec/std/csv/csv_parse_spec.cr
index 5f9906f35333..c93ae5be2b53 100644
--- a/spec/std/csv/csv_parse_spec.cr
+++ b/spec/std/csv/csv_parse_spec.cr
@@ -49,6 +49,17 @@ describe CSV do
       CSV.parse(%("","")).should eq([["", ""]])
     end
 
+    it "parses to hashes" do
+      csv_text = "Index,Customer Id,First Name,Last Name
+              1,DD37Cf93aecA6Dc,Sheryl,Baxter
+              2,1Ef7b82A4CAAD10,Preston,Lozano
+              3,6F94879bDAfE5a6,,Berry"
+
+      CSV.parse_to_h(csv_text).should eq([{"Index" => "1", "Customer Id" => "DD37Cf93aecA6Dc", "First Name" => "Sheryl", "Last Name" => "Baxter"},
+                                          {"Index" => "2", "Customer Id" => "1Ef7b82A4CAAD10", "First Name" => "Preston", "Last Name" => "Lozano"},
+                                          {"Index" => "3", "Customer Id" => "6F94879bDAfE5a6", "First Name" => "", "Last Name" => "Berry"}])
+    end
+
     it "raises if single quote in the middle" do
       expect_raises CSV::MalformedCSVError, "Unexpected quote at line 1, column 4" do
         CSV.parse(%(hel"lo))
diff --git a/src/csv.cr b/src/csv.cr
index 6751085d28cc..2a3c5dd79f67 100644
--- a/src/csv.cr
+++ b/src/csv.cr
@@ -78,6 +78,24 @@ class CSV
     Parser.new(string_or_io, separator, quote_char).parse
   end
 
+  # Parses a CSV or `IO` into an array of hashes using the first row as headers.
+  #
+  # Takes optional *separator* and *quote_char* arguments for defining
+  # non-standard csv cell separators and quote characters.
+  #
+  # ```
+  # require "csv"
+  #
+  # CSV.parse_to_hashes("name,age,city\nJohn,30,New York\nJane,25,San Francisco")
+  # # => [
+  # #   {"name" => "John", "age" => "30", "city" => "New York"},
+  # #   {"name" => "Jane", "age" => "25", "city" => "San Francisco"}
+  # # ]
+  # ```
+  def self.parse_to_h(string_or_io : String | IO, separator : Char = DEFAULT_SEPARATOR, quote_char : Char = DEFAULT_QUOTE_CHAR) : Array(Hash(String, String))
+    Parser.new(string_or_io, separator, quote_char).parse_to_h
+  end
+
   # Yields each of a CSV's rows as an `Array(String)`.
   #
   # See `CSV.parse` about the *separator* and *quote_char* arguments.
diff --git a/src/csv/parser.cr b/src/csv/parser.cr
index 57491b726dce..32d0931d921e 100644
--- a/src/csv/parser.cr
+++ b/src/csv/parser.cr
@@ -19,6 +19,16 @@ class CSV::Parser
     rows
   end
 
+  def parse_to_h : Array(Hash(String, String))
+    rows = [] of Hash(String, String)
+    if headers = next_row
+      while row = next_row
+        rows << parse_row_to_h_internal(headers, row)
+      end
+    end
+    rows
+  end
+
   # Yields each of the remaining rows as an `Array(String)`.
   def each_row(&) : Nil
     while row = next_row
@@ -71,6 +81,14 @@ class CSV::Parser
     end
   end
 
+  private def parse_row_to_h_internal(headers : Array(String), row : Array(String)) : Hash(String, String)
+    h = {} of String => String
+    headers.each_with_index do |header, i|
+      h[header] = row[i].strip || ""
+    end
+    h
+  end
+
   private struct RowIterator
     include Iterator(Array(String))