I tested a range of different supermarket sourdough breads (Image: Nicola Roy)
Sourdough bread has become so popular in recent years, and it’s not hard to see why. Often made with fewer ingredients and additives than other white or wholemeal loaves, it’s a great option if you’re trying to cut down on your ultra-processed food intake — and it tastes amazing too.
When I think of sourdough bread, I always think of the Jason’s variety. I have been a loyal fan for a while, and it’s often the only brand I buy from the supermarket. It’s usually between £2.15 and £2.50 for a loaf, which isn’t unreasonable, but I’m always looking for ways to get more out of my food shop. So I decided to sample four different own-brand sourdough loaves to see how they compared to my beloved Jason’s.
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I headed out to my nearest Tesco, Aldi, Asda and Sainsbury’s in search of sourdough, and came home with more bread than I knew what to do with. Prices ranged from just £1.75 to £2.44, which I was pretty surprised about, especially since the most expensive loaf was one of the smallest.
Firing up the toaster and making sure I had a generous helping of Kerrygold in the butter dish, I sampled a slice of each to see if any of them were as good as the big brand name. I had the ciabattini Jason’s in my cupboard already, so I made sure to try a slice of this for good measure too. I’m finding it increasingly difficult to find the original loaf in any supermarket, which made me even more eager to find a decent alternative.
There was a clear loser, but there was also a definite winner, cheaper than Jason’s, and it’s one that I wouldn’t hesitate to buy again.
Jason’s is a popular brand for a reason (Image: Nicola Roy)
Jason’s – £2.15
This is the bread that I buy most weeks since the original Jason’s seems impossible to find these days. However, it’s still pretty delicious — it’s got that classic chewy sourdough texture, but with a little extra flavour thanks to the way it’s made.
The slices are a little smaller than a classic sourdough loaf would be, but it means they fit in the toaster perfectly, so there’s a silver lining.
You also get a decent amount of slices, and it freezes well too. The only thing I’m not crazy about is that it’s not great for sandwiches, but for toast, you really can’t go wrong.
Score: 8/10
The Asda Exceptional sourdough fell a bit flat (Image: Nicola Roy )
Asda – £2.44
This was the most expensive loaf that I tried, so you can imagine my shock when I came home and counted just eight slices in the whole pack.
The ‘exceptional’ range at Asda is usually pretty good and worth the extra money — especially the Greek yoghurt — so I had high hopes for the bread. But sadly, it fell a little bit flat.
It was a bit flavourless, and the texture was very dense. Saying that, the slices were huge and soft, so it gets an extra point for that.
Score: 7/10
The Aldi sourdough was my least favourite (Image: Nicola Roy)
Aldi – £1.75
Tied with Tesco, this loaf was the cheapest of the lot.
It just didn’t really taste like sourdough to me at all. There was no chewy element, it was very dry, and the crust was nowhere near crispy enough for my liking.
I noticed that there was also a rye version on the shelf, so I’ll have to nip back and give that a try. But the white version wasn’t my favourite at all, and I probably wouldn’t buy again.
Score: 5/10
Sainsbury’s sourdough was cheaper than I expected (Image: Nicola Roy)
Sainsbury’s – £1.95
This is not a shop that I tend to visit very often, especially because it’s a small high-street one, which I believed to be more expensive. However, this loaf was pretty reasonably priced, which I wasn’t expecting.
In terms of the taste, I’d say it was pretty impressive. It was tangy, very soft, and crisped up nicely in the toaser.
However, it was sliced very thin and some of the smaller slices were absolutely tiny, with quite sizeable holes as well. Nevertheless, this ended up being my second favourite, and I’d definitely purchase it again.
Score: 8/10
Tesco’s sourdough loaf was the winner for me (Image: Nicola Roy)
Tesco – £1.75
For me, this was an absolute winner. The crust was just perfect, it had a lovely deep flavour that was just the right amount of salty, and it tasted even better after a minute in the toaster.
The slices were the perfect size too, and although you only get eight in a pack, I’d say it was worth it. It loses a point for the amount of holes in the bread – something that the Jason’s didn’t have, but I think I preferred the overall taste of this loaf.
And it was cheaper too, costing £1.75 with a Clubcard — what’s not to love?
Rating: 9/10