Marmite and carrot soup | Daily Mail Online

Jessie Marmite sits high on my list of everlasting loves. A poached egg doesn’t taste right without Marmite spread on buttery brown toast, and my offering to any late-night gathering in university halls was Marmite, crunchy peanut butter and grated cheddar cheese on toast. I’ll have it with marmalade, avocados, anything… It is the gift that keeps on giving.

My husband Sam introduced me to this soup with Marmite, a no-nonsense recipe passed down by his father Pete. It has saved many a miserable Saturday afternoon with a side of cheese and Marmite on toast. It’s so simple and quick to make. Sam likes the soup quite thick, but if you prefer it thinner you can use more stock or just add some boiling water when you come to blend it.

Serves 6-8

20g butter

1 tbsp rapeseed oil or olive oil

1 large white onion, roughly chopped

1kg carrots, roughly chopped

1 potato, about 150g,

roughly cubed

handful of fresh sage leaves

1 tbsp Marmite

1.5 litres-2 litres vegetable stock

2 tbsp cream or crème fraîche (optional)

½ lemon

salt and pepper

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the oil and onion, cover with a lid and cook over a low-medium heat for 10-15 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the carrots and potato and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the sage and Marmite and stir to coat the vegetables. Add the vegetable stock, put the lid back on and simmer for about 15 minutes until the carrots and potatoes are soft. Add a good pinch of salt and grinding of pepper.
• Leave to cool slightly, then add the cream, if using, to give a more velvety texture.
• Use a hand blender to whiz the soup until smooth, then season to taste with a squeeze of lemon juice and some more pepper. Serve with Marmite and cheese on toast.