What Does Vegemite Taste Like? What Is Vegemite Similar To?


Vegemite is an extremely popular breakfast spread in Australia. It was first created by excess yeast produced by breweries. It has an incredibly dark brown color to the point it’s almost black and has a controversial taste. Even though most Australians are fond of Vegemite on toast, its incredibly bitter and powerful flavor takes some time to get used to. In this article, we will explore Vegemite’s taste in-depth! After checking out our guide, you will quickly realize if Vegemite is for you or if you should leave it on the shelf!

What Is Vegemite?

Vegemite is an Australian savory spread invented in 1922. It has a very dark brown color and an intensely bitter and tangy flavor. Vegemite is made from brewer’s yeast and vegetable extract and is most commonly eaten for breakfast on toast with or without butter. Its closest equivalent is the British Marmite which is a similar spread made from brewer’s yeast.

Vegemite was invented by Australian food scientist Cyril Callister who was tasked with creating a food product with excess yeast from breweries. The first Vegemite was made from yeast from the Carlton Brewery. Callister broke down the yeast and then added salt, onion, and celery extract, creating the sticky dark brown spread that we now know as Vegemite.

What Is Vegemite Similar To?

Vegemite is most similar to Marmite. Vegemite and Marmite are both dark brown savory spreads made from brewer’s yeast. However, the spreads have a slightly different taste. Vegemite is more tangy, bitter, and saltier, whereas Marmite has a smoother and sweeter taste. 

Marmite came first and was invented in 1902, while Vegemite first appeared in 1922. Brits love teasing Australians that all their national foods, including Vegemite, are bad copies of British originals. Marmite and Vegemite are both very sticky and have the same dark brown color. They both are made from yeast extract and have an intense umami flavor. There is a slight difference in flavor; Vegemite is saltier and is much tangier, while Marmite is less intense and has a slightly sweet flavor.

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Is Vegemite the same as Marmite? Vegemite and Marmite are very similar. Vegemite is essentially an Australian version of Marmite as they are both savory dark brown spreads made from yeast extract. Vegemite has a stronger flavor and is tangier, while Marmite is sweeter and has less aftertaste. 

Don’t tell Australians, but Vegemite is essentially a copy of Marmite! Marmite was invented 20 years early. These spreads are made from brewer’s yeast combined with spices and vegetable extract. The result is a rich, salty, tangy dark brown spread loaded with umami flavors. Marmite has a gentler flavor with subtle sweet notes, while Vegemite is incredibly intense with a lot of tanginess.

Why Do Aussies Love Vegemite?

Aussies love Vegemite because they have been eating it since they were children. Vegemite on toast is one of the most popular breakfasts in Australia because it is quick and easy to make, packed full of vitamins, and filled with rich umami flavors. Every Australian household has at least 1 jar of Vegemite at all times!

22 million jars of Vegemite are sold in Australia every year! Australia only has a population of 25 million, which means that there is a jar for almost every Aussie. Vegemite is definitely an acquired taste thanks to its bitter, salty, and tangy flavor. However, if you have been eating it since you were a little kid, like most Aussies, it becomes sort of an addiction. Vegemite is kind of like beer (and not just because they both contain yeast); the first time you try it, you probably won’t be impressed, but after a few more tasting attempts, you will be hooked! Don’t worry if you don’t find Vegemite tasty on your first try. By the time you get to your 10th Vegemite on toast, you will be in taste bud heaven!

What Does Vegemite Taste Like?

In short, Vegemite tastes like a salty yeast spread. The only reason why people love it so much is its unique flavor and consistency that makes it enjoyable for consumption regardless of your age or dietary needs. Let’s check out the main ingredients that make up this odd food.

Vegemite Ingredients:

Vegemite is made up of yeast, salt, malt extract, and water. The yeast comes from breweries that produce excess yeast during the brewing process. The salt is a natural preservative, and the malt extract preserves the spread at room temperature for long periods of time. The water used in Vegemite is filtered to remove any impurities to produce a consistent product every time. In addition to this, Vegemite contains vitamins B1, B2, and B6, as well as potassium and calcium, which are essential for our body’s health.

Vegemite has a strong umami flavor. Vegemite tastes very salty as it is high in sodium (165 mg per serving) and has a tangy flavor because it is made from onion and celery extract. Vegemite is also malty and bitter and has a rich, almost meat-like flavor due to the brewer’s yeast.

Vegemite has a strong taste that will shock your tastebuds. Vegemite is very salty and bitter, with intense tangy and meaty notes. Unless you have tried Marmite, you have probably never tasted anything like Vegemite before. Vegemite tastes like beef bouillon and soy sauce combined and turned into a thick and sticky spread. This Australian spread is not for the faint of heart and is definitely an acquired taste. If you find the taste too strong, you can balance it by adding butter. The butter reduces the bitter and tangy flavor, removes aftertaste, and adds a creamy flavor.

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Does Vegemite taste good? Vegemite tastes good if you are prepared for its intense and powerful tangy, salty and bitter flavor. If you enjoy beer, marmite, soy sauce, or beef bouillon, you will think Vegemite tastes good. Vegemite is an acquired taste so give it a few tries before you decide if it is yummy.

Vegemite is not for everyone! Most adults who taste Vegemite for the first time are not impressed. They find the malty and tangy flavor too much to handle and especially not suitable for breakfast. However, if you enjoy strong salty and umami flavors like soy sauce or beef bouillon, you will find Vegemite tasty. As Vegemite has a strong and unique flavor, you really need to try it multiple times before you decide if it tastes good or not. To subdue the taste, we recommend eating Vegemite on toast with a healthy amount of butter!

Does Vegemite taste like soy sauce? Vegemite is very salty like soy sauce and has a similar color. However, Vegemite also has a very malty and tangy flavor not found in soy sauce. Vegemite is also very thick and sticky and completely overwhelms your taste buds as it glues to your mouth.

Vegemite tastes a little like soy sauce because it is very salty and high in sodium. However, Vegemite is far more than salty and has a range of complex and rich flavors not found in soy sauce. Vegemite is very malty thanks to the yeast extract and at the same time tangy thanks to onion and celery extract. It also has a unique meaty and rich taste which makes it dissimilar to soy sauce. Vegemite is also a thick and sticky spread, while soy sauce is watery. Vegemite’s thick texture really coats your taste buds and glues to the roof of your mouth.

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Does Vegemite taste like chocolate? Vegemite looks like chocolate spread or Nutella, but it tastes nothing like chocolate! Vegemite has pure umami flavors and is very tangy, salty, bitter, and malty. It is not sweet at all as it is made from brewer’s yeast and vegetable extract. It is similar to soy sauce or beef bouillon.

Vegemite is the furthest thing from sweet imaginable! Even though it has a similar color to chocolate spreads, Vegemite is a pure savory spread. The dark brown, almost black color is caused by brewer’s yeast and vegetable extract. Vegemite is very savory with a combination of salty, bitter, and unique tangy notes. If you are looking for a sweet breakfast spread, leave the Vegemite on the shelf and grab some Nutella instead. However, if you want some powerful umami flavors and try a unique flavor, we recommend grabbing a jar of this delicious Aussie spread!

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Does Vegemite taste like Marmite? Vegemite and Marmite have a similar taste because they are both made from yeast, vegetable extract, and spices. Vegemite is saltier and tangier than Marmite, with a stronger meaty flavor. Marmite tends to be sweeter and smoother without the intense tanginess of Vegemite.

Vegemite is Australia’s answer to Marmite. Marmite was invented in 1902, while Vegemite came 20 years later in 1922. Both Marmite and Vegemite are made from yeast and vegetable extract and a range of herbs and spices. The two spreads look similar with a deep rich brown, almost black color, and taste similar but with a few key differences. Vegemite has a stronger umami flavor than Marmite. Vegemite is much saltier, maltier and tangier than Marmite. Vegemite also has a richer meatier flavor than Marmite. Marmite has a more balanced flavor than Vegemite with a subtle sweetness. Marmite is a much gentler tasting experience than the notoriously harsh flavor of Vegemite.

What Does Vegemite Smell Like?

Vegemite smells like chicken broth or beef bouillon. It has strong sulfur and meaty aroma. Vegemite has a powerful yeasty aroma and smells like salty vegetables. Vegemite smells like soy sauce and Japanese miso soup.

Vegemite’s smell is as strong as its taste! As soon as you open a jar of Vegemite, you will be met with a powerful aroma. Vegemite smells salty, earthy, and savory, like soy sauce and miso soup. It has a powerful yeasty aroma similar to beer combined with salty vegetables. Vegemite also has an intense meaty aroma similar to a powerful chicken or beef broth. Your nostrils may also detect notes of beef bouillon. We aren’t big fans of Vegemite’s aroma, it tastes much better than it smells!

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Final Thoughts

Vegemite is Australia’s national food! It is made from yeast and vegetable extract and is thick, dark brown, and very sticky. This savory spread is an extremely popular breakfast choice, with most Aussies slapping some on toast with butter. Even though nearly every Australian loves the taste of Vegemite, its powerful flavor is definitely an acquired taste. Vegemite is very salty, malty, bitter, and tangy. It is very rich and even has a meaty flavor.

Vegemite has strong umami flavors and a unique taste. It tastes similar to Marmite but is more intense with a stronger, saltier, and tangier flavor. If you enjoy soy sauce and beef bouillon, you will probably like Vegemite. We recommend eating Vegemite on toast with butter as the butter balances the intense flavors of the Aussie spread, resulting in a deeply satisfying yet not overwhelming umami flavor.

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