If you've ever wondered whether Marmite Sourdough belongs in your oven, let me warn you now: this loaf divides households. This cheese and marmite sourdough bread recipe is bold, savoury and unapologetically punchy - and while I sit firmly on the Marmite-hater side of life, my husband ranks this in his top three inclusions I've ever baked. If you're a fan (or even Marmite-curious), this Vegemite sourdough deserves your attention.
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Marmite or Vegemite? What Is It?
Marmite (and its Australian cousin Vegemite) is a dark, intensely savoury yeast extract spread made from brewer's yeast by-products. It's salty, umami-rich and famously "love it or hate it."
It's typically spread thinly on toast with butter, stirred into gravies, or used to deepen savoury dishes. Nutritionally, it's high in B vitamins - particularly B12 - though it is also very salty, so a little goes a very long way. In bread? It melts into the dough and transforms into something altogether more complex.
Ingredient Notes
- Strong White Flour. Use strong white flour (around 12% protein or higher) for structure. The inclusions need a strong gluten network to support them. You can substitute up to 20% with wholemeal flour for a nuttier note, but expect slightly tighter crumb.
- Salt. Notice the small amount. Marmite and mature cheddar both bring plenty of salt, so resist the urge to add more.
- Active Sourdough Starter. Use a lively sourdough starter at peak rise. This loaf relies on good fermentation strength to carry the extra fat and inclusions.
- Water. Room temperature water works well. Marmite dissolves best when stirred into the water first.
- Marmite / Vegemite. Either works. Vegemite sourdough behaves similarly in the dough - slightly sweet, deeply savoury, very umami.
- Mature Cheddar. Go for bold. Mild cheddar gets lost. Cube it rather than grate it - we want pockets of molten cheese, not disappearance into the crumb.
How Marmite Affects Sourdough Baking?
Adding Marmite changes more than just flavour. Here's what to expect:
HYDRATION. Marmite is thick and paste-like. When dissolved in the mixing water, it slightly increases perceived hydration, making the dough feel softer than a plain white flour sourdough loaf at the same water percentage.
DOUGH HANDLING. The dough may feel slightly tackier early on. After coil folds during bulk fermentation, it strengthens beautifully. The savoury paste integrates seamlessly - no streaks, no separation.
FERMENTATION SPEED. Marmite contains nutrients from yeast extract, which can gently support fermentation. As always, watch the dough, not the clock.
ADDING CHEESE. Cheese is best added at shaping, not during early folds. Adding it too soon can tear gluten strands and weaken structure. Layer cubes during sourdough lamination / shaping on your work surface for even distribution.
FLAVOUR. Once baked, the harsh sharpness of Marmite mellows dramatically. It becomes savoury depth rather than aggressive saltiness. Combined with cheddar? Deeply comforting. The crust, however, tastes exactly like Twiglets - punchy and slightly bitter!
CRUMB AND CRUST. Expect a soft interior with pockets of molten cheese and a beautifully caramelised crust. The sugars in Marmite encourage browning, so your sourdough loaf may colour slightly faster.
Tips For Best Results
- Watch the dough, not the clock. Bulk fermentation depends on temperature. Look for 70-90% rise and visible bubbles.
- Use less salt than usual. Marmite and cheddar bring plenty. Too much salt can stall fermentation and overwhelm flavour.
- Cube, don't grate, the cheese. Grated cheese disappears into the crumb. Cubes create those irresistible melty pockets.
- Be assertive when scoring. The blade may catch on hidden cheese. A confident, deep slash helps achieve good oven spring.
- Don't over-flour the shaping surface. A lightly floured work surface is enough. Too much flour prevents proper tension building.
- Preheat properly. A thoroughly heated Dutch oven (or baking steel) ensures best results and maximum oven spring.
- Cool fully before slicing. Yes, it's hard. But slicing early leads to gummy crumb around melted cheese.
Serving Suggestions
This is not a shy loaf. It demands strong pairings. Try:
- Thick slices toasted with salted butter
- Served alongside tomato soup
- As the base for the ultimate grilled cheese
- With scrambled eggs and crispy mushrooms
- Topped with smashed avocado and chilli flakes
- Used for Welsh rarebit
Take it from a marmite sceptic, these combinations are unexpected but brilliant:
- Cubed and toasted as croutons in onion soup
- Served with a sharp apple or plum chutney
- Paired with roasted tomatoes and olive oil
My husband insists the best things in life are simple: toasted marmite sourdough with butter melting into every crevice. I remain politely unconvinced - but I will admit, warm from the oven, it smells very good indeed.
More Sourdough Inclusions To Try
If bold savoury inclusions are your thing, there are plenty more sourdough loaf variations to explore - from herb-laden loaves to sweet swirls and unexpected flavour combinations. Once you master the structure, the possibilities are endless.
Marmite Sourdough Bread With Cheddar
Equipment
- Dough Scraper
- Proofing Basket
- Razor Blade or Bread Lame
Ingredients
- 500 g strong bread flour with at least 12% protein content
- 4 g salt
- 160 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 40 g marmite/ vegemite
- 300 g water
- 120 g mature cheddar cheese cubed
Instructions
DAY 1
- First thing in the morning, feed the sourdough starter and leave it in a warm place (ideally between 21-27°C), loosely covered, for 4 hours. The starter should double in size by then. If it doesn't, it might need a few more good feedings to be ready.
Mixing The Dough
- Combine flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- In a separate bowl or a jug, combine water, marmite and active sourdough starter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Fitted with a dough hook attachment, run the stand mixer for 10-15 minutes until your dough is smooth and elastic. It does not need to pass the windowpane test just yet (the gluten will continue developing when we fold the dough during the bulk fermentation period).
Bulk Fermentation and Coil Folds
- Scoop the dough into a large bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap (a.k.a. cling film) and leave it in a warm place (21-27°C) for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, with cold wet hands, perform the first set of coil folds. Simply lift the bread dough with both hands from the sides and tuck it under to form a coil. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and coil again. Cover the bowl again, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes again.
- Repeat the coil folds three more times at 30 minute intervals (4 sets total). After the last coil fold, your dough should feel a lot less sticky and feel strengthened and elastic.
- Cover and let the dough rise and finish its bulk fermentation undisturbed for 2-3 hours. The dough should just about double in size from its original size.
Add Cheese, Shaping and Cold Retardation
- At the end of bulk fermentation, using a bowl scraper scoop the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Try to make sure that the smooth top of the dough (the side that is not in contact with the bowl) is placed on the floured work surface. Stretch the dough into a large rectangle by tugging on the edges of the dough, and spread half of the cubes cheese across the surface.
- As you shape the dough into a boule or a batard, keep adding the rest of the cheese before folding the dough over - see how I do it in a video below.
- Place the shaped dough into a well-floured banneton basket (or any proofing basket alternatives). We recommend using rice flour for dusting your proofing baskets. The smooth side of the sourdough ball should be at the bottom, with the seam at the top.
- Pinch the seam together with your fingers, if the dough starts spreading in the bowl to make sure the dough is tight. Sprinkle with some flour, and cover the dough with a clean fabric napkin or small lightweight tea towel.
- Place the proofing basket in a large plastic bag - it will protect the dough from drying out. Then place the whole thing in the fridge for its final rise (a.k.a. second rise) for 12-18 hours.
DAY 2
- The next day, place the Dutch Oven in the oven, and preheat it to 240°C (typically, it is the highest temperature home ovens will go to) with the Dutch oven in it. It needs to be piping hot.
Scoring
- Once the oven is hot, take the dough out of the fridge and out of the bag.
- Invert the dough gently onto a large sheet of parchment paper. If your dough was properly bulk fermented and shaped correctly, it should not spread once inverted.
- Using a bread lame or a razor blade, score the dough deeply (approximately 1-2 cm deep) at a 30- 45º angle. One single deep slash is all that's needed for that sought-after sourdough "ear".
Baking and Cooling
- Take the hot Dutch Oven out of the oven, take the lid off, and lift the sourdough into it, holding the edges of the parchment paper. Be mindful of how you lift the paper. Sometimes, the scored slash can begin to close up during this process. To prevent this, lift the parchment from the sides that won't push the two edges of the scored dough back together.
- Place the lid back on the Dutch Oven and place the bread into the hot oven for 30 minutes.
- After 35 minutes, take the lid off, and return the sourdough to the oven for another 15-18 minutes to turn golden brown. You may reduce the temperature to 200°C for the uncovered bake to control the browning of the crust. We highly recommend not baking this loaf uncovered for too long, as the crust turns bitter.
- Once baked, take the Dutch Oven out of the oven. Lift the bread out by holding the corners of the parchment paper. Place the bread onto the wire rack, and slide the parchment paper from underneath the loaf.
- Leave the sourdough to cool down to room temperature before slicing.
Video
Nutrition
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