Marmite - the salty, B-vitamin-packed paste that Brits love to spread on buttered toast - has a reputation as a divisive ingredient. And yet describing its flavour is something even Marmite fans have trouble with. So what does Marmite taste like really? What is the science behind it? And how do you get the most out of its umami-rich flavour profile in the kitchen?
After eating Marmite almost every day of my life prior to becoming gluten intolerant, I wanted to do a deep dive here as a final goodbye.
The Magic of Yeast
Marmite is, essentially, a by-product of the beer industry. This makes sense when you consider Marmite has a sweet, malty undertone which balances out its intense saltiness.
This added depth of flavour is notably lacking in own-brand versions which use yeast that hasn't been in contact with cereals in a brewery.
Let's look a little closer at how brewer's yeast - a surprisingly powerdul little fungus - gives Marmite its flavour...
How does yeast become Marmite?
When brewing beer, various grains are malted to break up their starches into fermentable sugars. Yeast is then added to break down these sugars.
As yeast reproduces rapidly in brewing conditions, breweries always end up with a lot more yeast than they started with... So why not make use of it?
This excess yeast is heated and salted and left to concentrate until it releases a rich savoury flavour similar to meat broth. The basic quality of this savouriness is called umami, something naturally present in many foods such as tomatoes, meats, eggs and parmigiano.
Interestingly, the Marmite-making process makes the yeast release a whole host of vitamins too, including thiamin (B1), niacin (B3) and folic acid (B9).
A familiar taste...
But why is umami the resulting flavour of this fascinating process? Yeast breaks down into amino acids, one of which is glutamate. And if you've ever cooked with MSG, or ordered from a Chinese takeaway, glutamate's yummy, addictive quality is something you'll be familiar with.
MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is simply glutamate with added salt. So one might be tempted to say that Marmite tastes like MSG in paste form. But there's much more to it than that!
The Main Flavours in Marmite
While glutamate is a big part of why people love this tasty paste, Marmite has a rich, dynamic flavour profile that elevates it above the versatile but more one dimensional MSG.
As well as providing an umami hit, Marmite has a rich flavour akin to meat or chicken broth with a hit of soy sauce. This makes it an excellent addition to ramen dishes if you want depth of flavour but don't have time to cook your broth for hours. It has a distinctive bitterness too.
So where does Marmite's flavour come from?
Along with glutamate, Marmite contains:
- Other amino acids on top of glutamate
- Vegetable juice concentrate
- Bitter notes from various B vitamins and yeast cell walls
- Concentrated malted grain extracts from the brewing process
- Natural flavouring containing celery
As you can see, there's a lot going on here. In particular, the natural celery flavouring in Marmite is a clever addition as celery is often used in soup bases to enhance umami.
Marmite also benefits from something called the maillard reaction, which you'll be familiar with if you've ever browned a chicken breast in the pan, waiting for it to get that yummy golden crust on the outside. This same browning process happens to yeast when it's heated and concentrated to make Marmite.
All of these flavours come together to create a stronger, punchier version of an ingredient you've probably seen countless times: 'yeast extract'.
In fact, supermarket own brands of Marmite often just call their products 'yeast extract' instead of coming up with fancy names.
But yeast extract as a general ingredent can be found in a number of pre-prepared savoury foods, meaning...
The flavour of Marmite might remind you of:
- ramen, particularly instant ramen
- tinned soup
- meat flavoured crisps
- stock subes
- spice mixes for chilli con carne and smiliar rich dishes
- ready meals
- seasoned fries
- seasoned deli meat (even unseasoned deli meat, for that matter, as aged or processed meat is packed with glutamic acid)
So if you've ever had chicken flavoured crisps or a Pot Noodle, you're more familiar with Marmite than you think!
The fact that yeast extract is used in process foods so often might give you the impression that it's an unhealthy ingredient.(An assumption MSG is even more of a victim of!).
However, Marmite has many recognised health benefits, thanks to its concentration of nervous system-reulating B vitamins. Not to mention that yeast, and the glutamate it releases to give Marmite its unique qualities, are naturally occurring substances.
And remember, something doesn't have to be processed to benefit from yeast extract as an ingredient. You can actually cook with Marmite!
How To Cook With Marmite
A spoonful of Marmite is great for adding depth of flavour and colour to noodle broth. Just make sure to go light on the soy sauce if using both.
Remember that Marmite is high in sodium, so account for this in your cooking and only add salt after the Marmite has fully absorbed.
It's also wonderful in chilli con carne, and even ragù. For both of these dishes, Marmite can be a fair substitution for wine if you forgot to get a bottle of red to cook with and feel your sauce is missing that heady, aromatic depth.
Because of Marmite's signature sticky texture, it has to be heated to properly melt into whatever you're adding it to. So simply take some on a teaspoon and slowly stir into your soup, broth or sauce while your dish is still cooking.
This ease of application, and Marmite's chicken broth-like flavour, makes Marmite a favourite among vegetarians wanting to add some extra flavour to their dishes (while upping their B12!)
Amazingly, despite having a strong flavour on its own, this mellows out as the Marmite cooks. Also, when diluted in a sauce it's actually extremely versatile.
The traditional way to enjoy Marmite is of course to spread it on toast. To make sure you're getting the most out of it, remember to:
- Use a nice slice of toasted, buttered white bread
- Make sure the toast is hot and the butter has melted
- Spread the Marmite thinly over the surface of the toast
I hope you enjoyed this comprehensive run down of what Marmite tastes like and why.
I certainly enjoyed writing it! Maybe one day Marmite will make a version that's certified gluten free so I can enjoy it once again, but I won't hold my breath as the brewery yeast certainly gives this product a signature yumminess which cannot be replicated.
Hopefully if you're new to Marmite this blog has encouraged you to give it a go. If you do, fire me an email as I would love to know what you think!
