Garlic baguettes transform the humble French stick into a crispy, buttery, garlicky masterpiece. They are perfect for dunking in soup or mopping up leftover sauce from lasagne or spaghetti bolognese. Making them is simple: cut open a plain baguette lengthways or hasselback style, spread lots of herby garlic butter, and optionally add grated cheese. Ten minutes in the oven is enough time to finish preparing the rest of your meal. A more convenient option is to buy one from the supermarket, where prices can be as low as 36p. But are they any good? Holly Kintuka decided to find out and compared garlic baguettes from Aldi, Asda, Lidl, M&S, Sainsbury's and Tesco.
The Taste Test Results
Her taste test revealed several good options, with two supermarkets offering packs of two garlic baguettes at incredibly low prices. However, not all impressed, and the most expensive turned out to be her least favourite.
Aldi
Cost: 70p Score: 4/10
Holly said: "Aldi's version wasn't that bad, but it wasn't great. It had a decent amount of butter, but would have benefited from much more. I also thought it needed more garlic. I most likely wouldn't purchase it again, as there are many better options."
Asda
Cost: 36p Score: 8.5/10
Holly said: "Asda's one really surprised me. It had a generous amount of garlic, herbs and butter. It had a delicious crunch and didn't get dry after multiple bites. I would happily stock up on this garlic baguette, and its price makes it even better."
Lidl
Cost: 72p Score: 7/10
Lidl's baguette had a good amount of butter, garlic and herbs, but wasn't perfect. Holly said: "It took slightly longer to cook, and the butter made it greasy, preventing a nice crunch." Despite this, she would buy it again, especially as two baguettes for 72p is a bargain.
Marks and Spencer
Cost: £1.30 Score: 2/10
Holly said: "This was the only one I probably wouldn't buy again. It was very dry, didn't have enough butter, and had no flavour. I was quite disappointed."
Sainsbury's
Cost: £1 Score: 10/10
Holly said: "Sainsbury's did not disappoint. They did not shy away from the butter; it was buttery goodness. One side got slightly greasy, but I didn't mind because it was so delicious. It was garlicky and herby, with a nice crunch on the other side. I couldn't fault it."
Tesco
Cost: £1 Score: 9/10
Holly said: "Tesco did a great job. The bite without garlic butter was still enjoyable. The parts with butter were good, but I would have loved a smidge more butter. However, I would definitely have this as my go-to."
