Marmite is a spread commonly used for sandwiches, cheesy toasts, crackers, crumpets, bagels or used to add a depth of flavor to your cooking
Are you having a hard time finding marmite in your grocery store? Or maybe you just want a healthier substitute for marmite in your recipes?
Here are some substitutes to consider
- AussieMite
- Bovril
- Brewer’s Yeast
- Miso
- Nutritional Yeast
- Peanut Butter
- Promite
Before we delve deeper into these possible alternatives, let us understand abit more about the history of this popular UK spread.
11 Best Substitute For Marmite
Marmite is a concentrated yeast extract which first became popular in 1902. It’s a staple in most UK homes, but you can also find it in other parts of the world. Each tablespoon of marmite contains just 22 calories – making it a good low-cal option for sandwich spreads.
Unfortunately, marmite isn’t easy to find in grocery stores located outside the UK. If your recipe calls for marmite, there are several substitutes you can try out:
AussieMite
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Marmite is a favorite by British shoppers and sells more than 28 million pounds every year!
AussieMite is like Australia’s answer to marmite. It’s also made from yeast extract and can be used as a savory spread for toast. The problem with AussieMite is that it’s not very common in grocery stores – unless you live in Australia.
It has 41 calories per teaspoon. You can try adding it in cooked dishes that call for marmite. The taste is mellower, but should give you that umami yeast flavor for a savory recipe.
Aussimite is actually just one of the products inspired by marmite. Every country seems to have created their own version. There’s Cenovis created by the Swiss and Vitamin-R which came from the Germans. In the United States, there’s Vegex, which actually entered in the market in 1913. In the UK, you can find other brands with yeast extracts like Aidi and Sainsbury.
Bovril
Bovril is another good substitute for marmite. It’s actually made by the same company, so it makes sense that the packaging of the two looks so much alike. Bovril is made with a combination of vegetable protein, eggs, beef stock, water, yeast, and more.
It contains animal products and carries a slightly sweet taste. In contrast, marmite is a vegetarian option and contains just five basic ingredients. Bovril also has a darker consistency, but spreads very much like marmite.
Bovril makes for an excellent spread but can also be made into tea. The sauce can be added in your cooking to create broths, porridge, or stews. It helps enhance the flavor of the meat, adds umami into every dish, and enhances the appetizing color of food.
Use a 1:1 ratio for substitution. Each teaspoon contains 22 calories.
Brewer’s Yeast
Brewer’s yeast is commonly used for making wine and beer. It’s a very healthy substitute for marmite since the yeast is known for treating diarrhea and lactose intolerance.
Flavor-wise, it’s a bitter substitute so add it in dishes with an already strong flavor. This should help mask the bitterness while still giving you a creamy consistency similar to marmite.
Brewer’s yeast isn’t exactly your top choice as a substitute. Use it when you have no other option. Note that 1 tablespoon can contain as much as 39 calories.
Miso
Miso is a Japanese seasoning created by fermenting soybeans. At first look, you’d think that it’s peanut butter until you actually get a taste of the product. It has this funky and salty taste that helps increase the flavor of meat.
Of course, miso comes in different shades. There’s white miso which has a very sweet taste and red miso with a more musty taste. Miso is a good substitute for that umami taste while keeping your dishes gluten-free.
White miso is perfect on toast when combined with unsalted butter. If you plan to add it to cooked dishes however, the red miso is a better option. Both can be turned into a deeply rich broth. Just follow the 1:1 substitution ratio. One tablespoon of miso contains around 34 calories.
Nutritional Yeast
The most important ingredient of marmite is yeast extract. This is why it’s not really surprising to find nutritional yeast as a viable substitute for marmite. The difference is that nutritional yeast is deactivated, which means that it’s already dead. You can’t use it for baking anymore – but it can be used for other purposes.
For cooking purposes, nutritional yeast adds a mildly nutty taste with tons of umami flavor. It has less sodium content, which makes it perfect for people who have high blood pressure. It’s available in the form of flakes or granules, and you can find it in most grocery stores.
Nutritional yeast is a vegan option. It’s similarity to marmite is in the texture. Once added in a dish, it helps create the creamy texture you usually get when marmite is added in watery delicacies. If you also want a milder flavor to the dish, nutritional yeast is a good choice.
Note that nutritional yeast is fairly higher in calories. One tablespoon of this contains around 35 calories.
Peanut Butter
Yes – you can use peanut butter as a marmite substitute. However, it’s not an exact match, but will mostly give you the creamy texture you need for the dish.
Note that it adds a sweet and salty flavor to your cooking. This is far from the savory and slightly bitter taste of marmite. With peanut butter, you’ll get that creamy consistency perfect for casserole. Obviously, you can also use peanut butter on toast.
Peanut butter is a vegan substitute. Keep in mind, however that it’s high in sugar with an astonishing calorie count of 94 calories per tablespoon. Plus – peanut butter may not be a good option if you have peanut allergies.
Promite
Promite is a marmite substitute that you can spread on toast and include in cooked dishes. It’s a favorite in sandwiches, thanks to its sweet taste. Compared to marmite, promite is sweeter without much of the bitterness you get with marmite.
As a result, you can add it in desserts like cheesy puffs or include it in gravies, chicken noodles, spaghetti, food dips, and more. If you prefer your food to be slightly sweeter, promite is a good choice. Each tablespoon contains just 11 calories.
Soy Sauce
Soy sauce is a pretty versatile condiment used by the Chinese in practically all dishes. It’s made by fermenting soybean and to some extent, it can be used as a substitute for marmite.
Soy sauce has a liquid texture. It has a very dark coloring and very salty. Obviously, you can’t use this as a spread by itself. Some people combine soy sauce with 2 parts of unsalted butter to create a spread.
Instead, soy sauce can be used for cooking dishes. Added together with other herbs and spices, soy sauce introduces umami into your food and makes the meat flavor more prevalent. You can also use it for marinade or for gravy. It’s also a vegan condiment although it contains gluten.
Calories in soy sauce depends on the brand itself. Typically, each tablespoon contains just 9 calories, making this a low-calorie substitute. Note however that soy sauce is high in sodium so if you have hypertension, this isn’t a good substitute.
Vegemite
Vegemite is perhaps the closest you can get to a marmite substitute. It’s popular in Australia and comes with a stronger malted flavor. Instead of smooth and silky texture, Vegemite also feels closer to peanut butter when used as a spread.
Vegemite is vegan-friendly and can be found in various specialty stores. If you’ve run out of marmite, you can use vegemite, but keep in mind that both are pretty tough to find in stores. Note that vegemite is more than just a spread. Most people use it as a marinade or to create pan sauces for different types of meat.
For substitution, just follow a 1:1 ratio. A teaspoon of vegemite contains around 10 calories – making it an excellent low-calorie choice for sandwiches.
Tesco Yeast Extract
Tesco yeast extract is a brand of yeast extract that closely resembles marmite. If there’s no Tesco brand in your grocery store, you can always choose any other yeast extract. However, Tesco comes as close as possible to marmite.
The yeast extract works well in cooked dishes, sauces, and stews. You can also use it as a marinade or as part of baked goods. The umami helps create a striking flavor in dishes for a more savory taste.
It has a very thin consistency, so you can’t use it as a spread for toast and sandwiches. If you’re cooking anything with cheese, the yeast extract can help make the cheesy flavor more pronounced. Each tablespoon contains 33 calories.
Homemade Marmite
Of course, it’s also possible to make your own marmite at home.
What You Need
- 1 kilogram of sourdough bread
- 10 grams of sugar
- 7 grams of fresh yeast
- 4 liters of water.
Step By Step Guide
- Start by cutting the bread into large cubes.
- In a separate bowl, mix the yeast, water, and sugar together.
- Put the breads inside the mix and leave it there for 12 hours. Cover the bowl just to protect it from dirt.
- After 12 hours, squeeze out any liquid from the bread.
- Make sure to catch all the liquid out of the bread using a clean bowl.
- This will be your marmite base. Place the liquid somewhere safe at room temperature – leave it there for 2 days. This will give the yeast enough time to ferment.
- Once done, apply low heat to the liquid until you get this creamy consistency similar to marmite.
Following the instructions, you should get around 200 grams worth of marmite spread.
Marmite Substitute Related FAQs
What is a good replacement for marmite?
Vegemite is by far the closest replacement you can find in the market. Miso and Bovril are your second choices if Vegemite is not available.
Others should be considered as last-choice options if nothing else is available from the store.
How do I know what substitute to use?
Your choice of marmite substitute really depends on what you’re trying to make. Decide if you’re adding marmite for the flavor, the texture, the color, or its thickening factor. Y
east options are usually best if you only want to create a creamy consistency for the dish. If flavor is your primary goal, vegemite would be the best choice.
Can I skip marmite in the ingredient list?
No. Marmite adds a very distinct flavor and consistency to any dish. Choosing to exclude it entirely will not complete the flavor profile of your dish.
Ultimately, it’s not going to taste good or won’t have the expected taste.