Vegemite toast
Hot toast, plenty of butter spread to the edges, and a thin scrape of Vegemite. The Australian breakfast, done properly.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 1 min
- Cook
- 3 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 4 min
- Difficulty
- Very easy
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
There are three parts and the order matters. Toast the bread until it is crisp and well coloured. Butter it straight away, generously and right to the crust, so the butter melts in. Then scrape on the Vegemite thinly: a knife-tip's worth spread over the whole slice, so you can still see butter through it. Visitors who spread it thick, like chocolate spread, are the reason it has a reputation. Done this way it is salty, savoury and good with a cup of tea.
What you'll need
3 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Bread, slices of white or wholemeal sandwich bread2
- Salted butter, soft20 g
- Vegemite, a thin scrape, half a teaspoon per slice at most4.9 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Toast the bread until crisp and golden brown on both sides. Pale, soft toast will not take the butter properly.
3 min
Step 2
Butter the toast while it is still hot, generously and right to the edges, so the butter melts into it.
1 min
Step 3
Dip just the tip of a knife into the Vegemite and scrape it thinly over the whole slice. You should still see the butter through it. Add more only after you have tasted it.
1 min
Tip: About a quarter of a teaspoon per slice, spread wide, is the usual amount.
Step 4
Cut the toast into triangles or fingers and eat it while hot.
1 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 182 kcal
- Protein
- 4.3 g
- Carbs
- 20.1 g
- Fat
- 9.4 g
- Saturated fat
- 5.4 g
- Fibre
- 1.2 g
- Sugar
- 2.1 g
- Sodium
- 284 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Milk
- Vegetarian
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Vegemite → Marmite or another yeast extract
Marmite is sweeter and runnier. Use the same thin scrape.
Tips
- For cheese and Vegemite, lay a slice of cheddar over the top and put it under the grill until it melts.
- Keep the jar in the pantry, not the fridge. Cold Vegemite drags and tears the toast.
History & culture
Most Australian households have a jar. It is breakfast toast, the school sandwich, the plain thing for a sick child, and the jar Australians pack when they move overseas. Cheese and Vegemite on toast or in a sandwich is the next step, and cheesymite scrolls fill bakery shelves. A 1950s advertising jingle about happy little Vegemites is still sung. Some people add avocado.
Fred Walker's Melbourne company had the chemist Cyril Callister develop a yeast extract in 1922, after the First World War cut imports of British Marmite. The name came from a public competition; the story goes that Walker's daughter drew it from a hat. Sales were slow until it was promoted for its B vitamins in the 1930s. Kraft owned it for most of the century, and an Australian company bought it back in 2017.
Traditional — White or wholemeal sandwich bread both count. The butter is part of the dish, not a garnish; margarine is common but changes it.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Vegemite toast take?
4 min all in — 1 min prep, 3 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 2 slices. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Very easy.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Nut-free.
5 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list a salt amount. We will not invent one.
What can I use instead?
Vegemite → Marmite or another yeast extract. Marmite is sweeter and runnier. Use the same thin scrape.
Any tips from this recipe?
For cheese and Vegemite, lay a slice of cheddar over the top and put it under the grill until it melts. Keep the jar in the pantry, not the fridge. Cold Vegemite drags and tears the toast.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
