Eat // Bovril vs Marmite Showdown: Mushroom Linguine

Spaghetti with Marmite is one of my favourite pasta dish and it is one of my go-to recipes for potluck parties and celebrations. I came across this recipe many years ago in one of Nigella Lawson's earlier cookbooks and I absolutely loved it. The original recipe is as simple as simple gets and I had no good excuse not to try it. There is really nothing special to it, just simply plain ol' Marmite and spaghetti, and we are good to go. Mmm, two of the best things on a plate. 

I was all set to impress Jia with this simple dish when she raised a worthy question - "why do you use Marmite and not Bovril?". Here's a wee bit of background information: I love Marmite and Jia loves Bovril. I have never understood the existence of Bovril but Jia simply prefers the taste of Bovril. Just like that, we decided we need to recreate this dish with Bovril and then compare the two versions to see which dish taste better! 

Cast your votes! Who stole our hearts in the end - Bovril or Marmite? 

Mushroom Linguine with Bovril/Marmite
Recipe inspired by Nigella Lawson, Spaghetti with Marmite
Serves 1
Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking Time: 15 - 20 minutes

Ingredients:
55g linguine 
1tbs garlic, minced
75g fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks spring onion, cut into 3cm strips
1 handful of coriander, roughly chopped
1tsp Bovril/Marmite
1tsp olive oil

Instructions:
Cook linguine or any desired pasta as per packet instructions. Add a generous amount of salt and half a tablespoon of oil to prevent the noodles from sticking. After about 7-10 minutes, remove the pot of linguine from the fire, reserve some pasta water, pour the rest away and dunk the pasta in ice water to stop it from cooking any further. Set aside.

In a separate pan, heat olive oil and add minced garlic. Gently fry garlic over medium heat until it turns light brown. Add sliced mushrooms. Add some of the reserved pasta water to pan and let the mushrooms cook through. When the mushrooms are soft, add a teaspoon of Bovril/Marmite to the pan and stir well. Add more pasta water if the consistency is too dry. When the Bovril/Marmite has dissolved, add linguine, spring onions and coriander. Toss well and be sure to coat every bit of noodle!

And... you are done! Eat it while it is hot and garnish the dish with a lot of shaved parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and more coriander!

Top: Mushroom Linguine with Bovril
Bottom: Mushroom Linguine with Marmite

And the winner of our little cooking experiment is the... Mushroom linguine with Marmite!

We absolutely love how flavourful Marmite is; every bite is smoothly coated with Marmite goodness and saltiness. The taste is pretty similar between the two but in the end, we concluded that Bovril was lacking in oomph. The taste was definitely weaker and less flavourful. We also loved how the lemon complements the saltiness of the dish, so remember to add some zing to your noodles!

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Which side are you on - Bovril and Marmite? :)

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