I toast tested all the supermarket bagels – big name winner was great value option and so good I went back for seconds
STEP aside sourdough and say ciao to ciabatta.
The biggest thing in bread right now is the bagel, which is even outselling the beloved plain roll.
Whether you like yours toasted with butter or filled like a sandwich, here Laura Stott tries a selection of five-pack store offerings, giving ratings out of five.
NEW YORK BAKERY CO WHOLEMEAL, £1.90, Asda
★★★★☆
BIG, fluffy and enticing, these supersized bagels might be a little pricier, but they are so large you won’t feel short-changed.
This wholemeal treat is far thicker than lots of other offerings, making it more filling and easier to slice and toast.
With a perfect ‘O’ in the centre and appetising golden crust, the soft dough was delicious.
Lovely toasted then topped with hummus.
WARBURTON’S SESAME £1.50, Sainsbury’s/Tesco
★★☆☆☆
THESE convenient sesame-sprinkled bagels come pre-sliced, so just twist and pull apart for two perfectly shaped halves with no tearing.
Great if you are in a hurry, want to eliminate crumbs or just toast from frozen.
Top marks for making life easier and having a good, dense, chewy dough.
But the taste was underwhelming – more like a basic burger bun than a bagel. Pricey, too.
TESCO ORIGINAL 80p, Tesco
★★★★★
I DIDN’T have high hopes for these “authentic” boiled and stone-baked bagels after seeing them in the packet.
But once I tried one, I quickly changed my mind.
Good enough to eat alone or toasted, with perfect, tight, chewy dough.
Delicious with popular fillings such as salt beef or cream cheese and salmon, I even went back for seconds.
A real triumph – and also great value.
MULTIGRAIN £2.50, M&S
★★★☆☆
A REALLY tasty snack from M&S, made with posh sourdough for a slightly sharper, yeasty flavour.
Topped with multigrains, including linseed and rye, for added texture and chew, plus improved nutrition and gut health.
However they didn’t slice into equal parts, making them tricky to toast evenly.
Still scrumptious and would be lovely with a fried egg. Pity they cost so much.
ROWAN HILL BAKERY PLAIN 79p, Lidl
★★★★☆
THESE value bagels certainly looked the part, with a lovely golden outer, firm chewy dough on the inside and a perfect shape.
Simple to slice evenly, which made them ideal for toasting.
And while the flavour was more like a standard bread roll, its texture was good enough to make it a believable bagel.
Great for the price and ideal for family snacks or as a freezer standby.
VILLAGE BAKERY ORIGINAL 79p, Aldi
★★★☆☆
DESPITE claiming to be a New York-style bagel on the label, I found these wheat circles tasted more like sweet brioche rolls than a traditional savoury boiled bun.
The dough inside was a bit dense and the sugary taste was pleasant enough.
It certainly provides a sturdy snack when toasted and smothered with a yummy topping. Good value.
SAINSBURY’S PLAIN 79p, Sainsbury’s
★★★★☆
EXCELLENT value from Sainsbury’s, these plain rings price-match Aldi and Lidl – and you get a decent bagel for not much buck.
Slightly mismatched in appearance as they varied in size noticeably, and a strange griddled texture on the base did make them look a little alarming.
But nice and squidgy with a chewy centre and not too dry. Perfectly decent and a great price.
PLAIN 95p, Morrisons
★★★☆☆
THESE plain offerings had a good, authentic hooped shape and I liked that the individual bagels weren’t uniform in size, making them appear more artisan.
Some of the dough had cracked, but there was a nice brown exterior with a traditional, tight, chewy texture when sliced.
Very tasty though rather sweet.
Best toasted and smothered with a savoury filling for balance.