Spaghetti With Marmite
by Nigella. Featured in KITCHENIntroduction
I came across this recipe in Anna Del Conte's memoirs, Risotto with Nettles. Now, there are so many recipes I could borrow from her, and many I have, but this is the one I have to show you here. She introduces it as hardly a recipe, but I wanted to include it because I haven't as yet found a child who doesn't like it.
I know the combination of pasta and Marmite sounds odd to the point of unfeasibility, but wait a moment, there is a traditional day-after-the-roast pasta dish, in which spaghetti is tossed in stock, and I have eaten shortcut versions of this in Italy (recreated guiltlessly in my own kitchen) which use a crumbled stock cube, along with some butter, olive oil, chopped rosemary and a little of the pasta cooking water to make a flavoursome sauce for spaghetti. If you think about it, Marmite offers saltiness and savouriness the way a stock cube might. I'm glad this recipe is here, and I thank Anna for it.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
I came across this recipe in Anna Del Conte's memoirs, Risotto with Nettles. Now, there are so many recipes I could borrow from her, and many I have, but this is the one I have to show you here. She introduces it as hardly a recipe, but I wanted to include it because I haven't as yet found a child who doesn't like it.
I know the combination of pasta and Marmite sounds odd to the point of unfeasibility, but wait a moment, there is a traditional day-after-the-roast pasta dish, in which spaghetti is tossed in stock, and I have eaten shortcut versions of this in Italy (recreated guiltlessly in my own kitchen) which use a crumbled stock cube, along with some butter, olive oil, chopped rosemary and a little of the pasta cooking water to make a flavoursome sauce for spaghetti. If you think about it, Marmite offers saltiness and savouriness the way a stock cube might. I'm glad this recipe is here, and I thank Anna for it.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 4-6
- 375 grams spaghetti
- 50 grams unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon Marmite or Vegemite (or more to taste)
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese (to serve) - see Additional Information below
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon Marmite or Vegemite (or more to taste)
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese (to serve) - see Additional Information below
Method
- Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water, according to the packet instructions.
- When the pasta is almost cooked, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the Marmite/Vegemite and 1 tablespoon of the pasta water, mixing thoroughly to dissolve.
- Reserve ½ cup of pasta water; then drain the pasta and pour the Marmite/Vegemite mixture over the drained spaghetti, adding a little reserved pasta water to amalgamate if required. Serve with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese.
- Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water, according to the packet instructions.
- When the pasta is almost cooked, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the Marmite/Vegemite and 1 tablespoon of the pasta water, mixing thoroughly to dissolve.
- Reserve ½ cup of pasta water; then drain the pasta and pour the Marmite/Vegemite mixture over the drained spaghetti, adding a little reserved pasta water to amalgamate if required. Serve with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese.
Additional Information
For vegetarians replace the Parmesan cheese with a vegetarian alternative.
For vegetarians replace the Parmesan cheese with a vegetarian alternative.
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Show more commentsI tried this one day having read about it for years but, living in a family of marmite-haters, never got the opportunity. It is now my go-to for post-sports training, quick suppers. So much more delicious than I ever thought possible.
Marmite love it or hate it trust me you'll love this recipe a tasty, easy economical mid-week quick meal I love it with mushrooms cooked in butter, crispy bacon with parsley butter!
Love this recipe :-) I used Truffle Marmite this evening and it was epic!
I finally made this. I love it!! Thank you!
Hubby has just made this. So tasty and simple. This will be a favourite from now on !
Now I have another favorite Marmite dish! Thanks I will give you my favorite in return. Marmite avocado toast with black coffee comes as close to manna from heaven as you get; especially when topped with Maldon salt.
I made it with linguine (had no spaghetti) What fast and simple dish to make, I love marmite and have combined it with peanut butter, strawberry jam, it’s very good on toast as well, just don’t scrimp on it) I can see this becoming a favourite
Love this...quick and easy!!! So glad you included Vegemite in substitution for Marmite (although Vegemite is a more solid consistency, it still melts reasonably well). I actually purchased a british product named "Our Mate" in Australia to see if there was any taste difference to Vegemite. I love the umami savoury-ness of the buttery sauce and it goes down very well at all ages...simple, very easy and quick and also tres delish!!!
Absolutely love this. Don’t know how I haven’t made this before. Love marmite. Best of all my boys really loved this too. Will definitely be making this one of my quick easy staples when I’m not in the mood for cooking.
I love this with Vegemite and a handful of wild rocket on top as a garnish (and a little bit of green)
This is great with a fried or poached egg on top.....
Great and easy recipe! Had to try, marmite has an unique smell to it but eating and cooking with it is heavenly. We loved it and will make again. Definitely double the amount of marmite for this recipe again.