Sausages, beans and sourdough: the most delicious brunch items, tried and tested

When you're hosting a bank holiday brunch for a full house, every dish needs to pull its weight.

At Which? we don't just test washing machines and televisions; our experts also taste popular supermarket staples, from vanilla ice cream to salt and vinegar crisps.

To help you create the perfect morning spread, we put dozens of breakfast classics to the test, including pork sausages, sourdough and chocolate hazelnut spread.

Aldi Brooklea Greek Style Yoghurt (77%, Best Buy, Great Value)

Available from Aldi (in-store only)

We like: Inexpensive 

We don’t like: Only available in-store

Aldi’s Greek yoghurt was the joint-highest scorer of those we tested. Our panel liked its flavour, appearance and creaminess. 

You can buy it in a 1kg size for £1.49 (15p per 100g), which makes it the joint-cheapest on test alongside Lidl’s yoghurt. 

Have it with berries, bananas and granola for a tasty brunch dish. 

See more top scorers in our guide to the best Greek yoghurts. 

Co-op On The Side Real Mayonnaise (74%, Best Buy, Great Value)

Available from Co-op (£1.45)

We like: Tasty, creamy mayo

We don’t like: More expensive than other supermarket mayos

Condiments are an essential part of any brunch spread, so you'll want to make sure you include a good mayonnaise. 

Co-op’s own-brand mayo proved popular among our tasters, who thought it was appetising-looking and creamy, with the perfect thickness and a tart tang.

Compare it with more of the best mayonnaises on test.

Lidl Deluxe Pork Sausages (73%, Best Buy, Great Value)

Available from Lidl (£2.49)

We like: Cheaper than most 

We don’t like: Only available in-store

No fry-up is complete without some sausages, and you don’t need to overspend to get good-quality bangers. 

Testers were impressed with the Lidl sausages' pork flavour and salt levels, as well as the delicious herb and spice seasoning. They were a lighter colour than some testers thought ideal, but that’s the only downside. 

Read about more of the best pork sausages. 

Co-op Irresistible Hand Finished White Sourdough (73%, Best Buy)

Available at Co-op (£2.65)

We like: Great texture

We don’t like: Pricey

Sourdough can be easy to get wrong, but Co-op’s is just right. Our tasters thought the texture was excellent, with a good crust and airy firmness. 

It had a pleasant flavour with a good level of tanginess, and most felt it had the right amount of chew.

It may be pricey, but it’s also delicious.

Shop around for more of the best sourdough breads we tried. 

Marks and Spencer Gold Instant Coffee (70%, Best Buy)

Available in-store at M&S and Ocado (£7.25)

We like: Has the Fairtrade logo

We don’t like: You’ll need to go in-store

Morning coffee is a must-have. M&S’s Best Buy instant coffee scored well for flavour, aroma and appearance.

It won’t be a surprise to learn that M&S's coffee isn’t one of the cheaper options, but it does well ethically, being one of just two coffees on test with the Fairtrade logo.

See the other best instant coffees. 

Waitrose Essential Hazelnut Chocolate Spread (82%, Best Buy)

Available in-store at Waitrose (£1.90)

We like: Perfectly sweet

We don’t like: Priciest of the supermarket brands

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, a chocolate spread is the perfect brunch treat. This one from Waitrose was a firm favourite with testers, achieving the highest score of all those we tried. 

Nearly three quarters of our tasters said the strength of both the chocolate and the hazelnut flavour was spot on, and a similar proportion were fans of its consistency. Even more said it was perfectly sweet.

Compare it with more of the best chocolate hazelnut spreads on test.

Aldi Bramwells baked beans (77%, Best Buy, Great Value)

Available from Aldi (40p)

We like: Cheap

We don’t like: In-store only

You don’t need to splash out on expensive branded baked beans when Aldi and Lidl’s cheaper alternatives top our list of Best Buys. Both picked up a Great Value badge because they cost just 40p for 410g. 

Expect tasty-looking and flavourful beans with a good texture – the perfect addition to a Sunday fry-up.

Find out more about the best baked beans we tested. 

Waitrose Essential Tomato Ketchup (77%, Best Buy, Great Value)

Available from Waitrose (90p)

We like: Cheaper than Heinz

We don’t like: Some people will still prefer Heinz

If there’s one condiment you can’t miss out from your brunch table, it’s ketchup. But there’s no need to splash out on Heinz. 

Waitrose’s inexpensive alternative was our tasters’ favourite, with a well-balanced tanginess, sweetness and strength of flavour. Plus, it contains less salt and sugar than Heinz.

Read about all the best ketchups uncovered by our tasters. 

M&S Collection Nocellara Del Belice Extra Virgin Olive Oil (75%, Best Buy)

Available from M&S (in-store only) and Ocado (£12)

We like: Balanced and fruity, with a good bitterness

We don’t like: Pricey

A splash of quality olive oil on toasted sourdough or charred tomatoes takes your brunch game up a level.

We recommend this one from the M&S Collection, which was a clear winner with our expert panel. They enjoyed its grassy aromas and light, fruity flavours, with lovely notes of green tomato. It also had a balanced bitterness and peppery flavour, with one expert highlighting 'notes of cinnamon and black pepper'.

See more top-scorers among the best olive oils.