I tried 12 supermarket sausages – these are the tastiest (and healthiest)

It’s BBQ season and while sausages are delicious in any weather, they’re an ideal crowd-pleaser on a sunny afternoon. Little beats a meaty banger cushioned between soft bread and smothered in your favourite tangy sauces.

That said, there have been a lot of headlines in recent years about the dangers of eating processed and cured meats such as sausages, bacon, salami and other charcuterie, which have been linked to cancers, especially bowel cancer which is on the rise.

This is because they may contain nitrates and nitrites, which are preservatives, often vegetable-based, used in food manufacturing to kill harmful bacteria, lengthen shelf life and improve appearance. They aren’t harmful in themselves, but when mixed with red meat and cooked at high temperatures, they can transform into dangerous carcinogens, known as nitrosamines.

“Regular consumption of processed meats containing nitrates has been linked in large studies to an increased risk of colorectal cancer,” explains specialist dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine author of How Not to Eat Ultra-Processed (Ebury, £16.99). “This is why the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen when consumed frequently. Small amounts occasionally are unlikely to pose significant harm, especially if your overall diet is rich in protective foods like wholegrains, fruit and vegetables.”

We wanted to look at healthier than average sausages for this blind taste test, so scoured the supermarkets for nitrate-free products. While all supermarkets do sell nitrate-free sausages, there are also plenty on sale that contain these carcinogenic additives, and no clear labelling system. Look out for ‘nitrate-free’ or ‘uncured’ on labels (sulphates are different compounds so you might still see these in ingredient lists).

Does choosing nitrate-free sausages mean you’re eating healthily? “Reducing processed meat intake overall is a good precautionary step,” advises Ludlam-Raine. “Sausages can be part of a balanced diet in moderation, but it depends heavily on their ingredients and how often you eat them.” I guess this means you should skip the fry-up if you’re planning on a hot dog later.

1. Tesco Finest 4 Signature Pork Sausages, £4, 2. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 Pork Sausages, £3, 3. Morrison’s The Best 6 Thick Cumberland Sausages, £3.25, 4. Aldi Specially Selected 6 Classic Pork Sausages, £2.49, 5. Essential Waitrose 8 British Pork Sausages, £2.15, 6. No. 1 Waitrose British Free Range 6 Pork Sausages, £4.75, 7. Waitrose Summer 6 Pork Sausages, £4, 8. Waitrose Duchy Organic 6 Free Range British Pork Sausages, £5.35, 9. Heck 97% 6 Pork Sausages, ASDA, £3.18, 10. Morrison’s The Best 6 Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausages, £3.25, 11. Finnebrogue Naked 6 Pork Sausages, Ocado, £3.50, 12. Tesco Finest 10 Pork Sausages, £4.15

The selection of supermarket sausages for Sophie’s taste test

“Traditional sausages are typically high in saturated fat and salt, which, when eaten frequently, can raise the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure,” she continues. “Healthier options include those made from lean cuts of meat, poultry or plant-based proteins, as these are often lower in saturated fat and calories.

“Look for sausages with high meat content (ideally over 80 per cent), minimal additives and less salt (ideally under 1.5g salt per 100g). Portion size is also important – enjoying sausages occasionally, paired with plenty of vegetables and whole grains, is a better approach than making them a frequent staple.”

1. Tesco Finest 4 Signature Pork Sausages, £4

Cost per sausage: £1

Appearance: Big fat juicy sausage with great browning. Made with 100% pork and natural casings.

Taste: Pleasingly porky with a good crack of pepper on the end. This is the first I tasted and my favourite, but it has the unfair advantage of being twice the size of the others.

Texture: Very juicy – in fact a lot of fat escapes on slicing – but the sausage meat is nicely coarse.

Overall: 4/5

2. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 Pork Sausages, £3

Cost per sausage: 50p

1. Tesco Finest 4 Signature Pork Sausages, £4, 2. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 Pork Sausages, £3, 3. Morrison’s The Best 6 Thick Cumberland Sausages, £3.25, 4. Aldi Specially Selected 6 Classic Pork Sausages, £2.49, 5. Essential Waitrose 8 British Pork Sausages, £2.15, 6. No. 1 Waitrose British Free Range 6 Pork Sausages, £4.75, 7. Waitrose Summer 6 Pork Sausages, £4, 8. Waitrose Duchy Organic 6 Free Range British Pork Sausages, £5.35, 9. Heck 97% 6 Pork Sausages, ASDA, £3.18, 10. Morrison’s The Best 6 Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausages, £3.25, 11. Finnebrogue Naked 6 Pork Sausages, Ocado, £3.50, 12. Tesco Finest 10 Pork Sausages, £4.15

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference sausages are made with 93 per cent pork (Photo: Sainsbury’s)

Appearance: Haven’t browned very well and the fat has settled on the surface.

Taste: Lovely and meaty – these are made with 93% pork

Texture: Decent.

Overall: 3.5/5

3. Morrison’s The Best 6 Thick Cumberland Sausages, £3.25

Cost per sausage: 54p

1. Tesco Finest 4 Signature Pork Sausages, £4, 2. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 Pork Sausages, £3, 3. Morrison’s The Best 6 Thick Cumberland Sausages, £3.25, 4. Aldi Specially Selected 6 Classic Pork Sausages, £2.49, 5. Essential Waitrose 8 British Pork Sausages, £2.15, 6. No. 1 Waitrose British Free Range 6 Pork Sausages, £4.75, 7. Waitrose Summer 6 Pork Sausages, £4, 8. Waitrose Duchy Organic 6 Free Range British Pork Sausages, £5.35, 9. Heck 97% 6 Pork Sausages, ASDA, £3.18, 10. Morrison’s The Best 6 Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausages, £3.25, 11. Finnebrogue Naked 6 Pork Sausages, Ocado, £3.50, 12. Tesco Finest 10 Pork Sausages, £4.15

Morrison’s Cumberland sausages were somewhat bland (Photo: Morrison’s)

Appearance: These are nicely browned and look like a sausage I want to eat.

Taste: Porky but somewhat bland. These are made in-house by Morrison’s with 90% pork.

Texture: Too smooth for me.

Overall: 3/5

4. Aldi Specially Selected 6 Classic Pork Sausages, £2.49

Cost per sausage: 42p

1. Tesco Finest 4 Signature Pork Sausages, £4, 2. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 Pork Sausages, £3, 3. Morrison’s The Best 6 Thick Cumberland Sausages, £3.25, 4. Aldi Specially Selected 6 Classic Pork Sausages, £2.49, 5. Essential Waitrose 8 British Pork Sausages, £2.15, 6. No. 1 Waitrose British Free Range 6 Pork Sausages, £4.75, 7. Waitrose Summer 6 Pork Sausages, £4, 8. Waitrose Duchy Organic 6 Free Range British Pork Sausages, £5.35, 9. Heck 97% 6 Pork Sausages, ASDA, £3.18, 10. Morrison’s The Best 6 Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausages, £3.25, 11. Finnebrogue Naked 6 Pork Sausages, Ocado, £3.50, 12. Tesco Finest 10 Pork Sausages, £4.15

Aldi’s Pork sausages are one of the cheaper options (Photo: Aldi)

Appearance: Bit wrinkly but not bad overall

Taste: Crucially for those who want a plain sausage, these are porky not peppery. This is your pick if you want a great all-rounder for diners who don’t want herbs or spice in their sausage. Made with 90% pork.

Texture: Fairly smooth but with some bite.

Overall: 3.5/5

5. Essential Waitrose 8 British Pork Sausages, £2.15

Cost per sausage: 27p

1. Tesco Finest 4 Signature Pork Sausages, £4, 2. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 Pork Sausages, £3, 3. Morrison’s The Best 6 Thick Cumberland Sausages, £3.25, 4. Aldi Specially Selected 6 Classic Pork Sausages, £2.49, 5. Essential Waitrose 8 British Pork Sausages, £2.15, 6. No. 1 Waitrose British Free Range 6 Pork Sausages, £4.75, 7. Waitrose Summer 6 Pork Sausages, £4, 8. Waitrose Duchy Organic 6 Free Range British Pork Sausages, £5.35, 9. Heck 97% 6 Pork Sausages, ASDA, £3.18, 10. Morrison’s The Best 6 Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausages, £3.25, 11. Finnebrogue Naked 6 Pork Sausages, Ocado, £3.50, 12. Tesco Finest 10 Pork Sausages, £4.15

The cheapest option on the list had a lower pork content (Photo: Waitrose)

Appearance: Notably smaller than the others. Nice browning but splits on cooking.

Taste: The lower pork content (65%) is obvious and filled out with what seems to be gristle. But the benefit of this sausage is the affordability in a nitrate-free sausage – no other retailer is doing a nitrate-free sausage on its cheapest line (though Aldi’s Specially Selected comparable on price anyway).

Texture: Drier and smoother than the others.

Overall: 2/5

6. No. 1 Waitrose British Free Range 6 Pork Sausages, £4.75

Cost per sausage: 79p

1. Tesco Finest 4 Signature Pork Sausages, £4, 2. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 Pork Sausages, £3, 3. Morrison’s The Best 6 Thick Cumberland Sausages, £3.25, 4. Aldi Specially Selected 6 Classic Pork Sausages, £2.49, 5. Essential Waitrose 8 British Pork Sausages, £2.15, 6. No. 1 Waitrose British Free Range 6 Pork Sausages, £4.75, 7. Waitrose Summer 6 Pork Sausages, £4, 8. Waitrose Duchy Organic 6 Free Range British Pork Sausages, £5.35, 9. Heck 97% 6 Pork Sausages, ASDA, £3.18, 10. Morrison’s The Best 6 Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausages, £3.25, 11. Finnebrogue Naked 6 Pork Sausages, Ocado, £3.50, 12. Tesco Finest 10 Pork Sausages, £4.15

No.1 British Free Range sausages had specks of pepper (Photo: Waitrose)

Appearance: Quite pale.

Taste: Visible flecks of pepper but not too strong a taste; meaty but not too porky.

Texture: Some pleasing coarseness.

Overall: 3/5

7. Waitrose Summer 6 Pork Sausages, £4

1. Tesco Finest 4 Signature Pork Sausages, £4, 2. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 Pork Sausages, £3, 3. Morrison’s The Best 6 Thick Cumberland Sausages, £3.25, 4. Aldi Specially Selected 6 Classic Pork Sausages, £2.49, 5. Essential Waitrose 8 British Pork Sausages, £2.15, 6. No. 1 Waitrose British Free Range 6 Pork Sausages, £4.75, 7. Waitrose Summer 6 Pork Sausages, £4, 8. Waitrose Duchy Organic 6 Free Range British Pork Sausages, £5.35, 9. Heck 97% 6 Pork Sausages, ASDA, £3.18, 10. Morrison’s The Best 6 Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausages, £3.25, 11. Finnebrogue Naked 6 Pork Sausages, Ocado, £3.50, 12. Tesco Finest 10 Pork Sausages, £4.15

Waitrose 6 Pork Sausages with Pepper & Nutmeg (Photo: Waitrose)

Cost per sausage: 67p

Appearance: Well browned all over.

Taste: Very juicy with a strong peppery hit.

Texture: Possibly a bit too fatty but a decent coarse texture to the filling.

Overall: 3/5

8. Waitrose Duchy Organic 6 Free Range British Pork Sausages, £5.35

Cost per sausage: 89p

1. Tesco Finest 4 Signature Pork Sausages, £4, 2. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 Pork Sausages, £3, 3. Morrison’s The Best 6 Thick Cumberland Sausages, £3.25, 4. Aldi Specially Selected 6 Classic Pork Sausages, £2.49, 5. Essential Waitrose 8 British Pork Sausages, £2.15, 6. No. 1 Waitrose British Free Range 6 Pork Sausages, £4.75, 7. Waitrose Summer 6 Pork Sausages, £4, 8. Waitrose Duchy Organic 6 Free Range British Pork Sausages, £5.35, 9. Heck 97% 6 Pork Sausages, ASDA, £3.18, 10. Morrison’s The Best 6 Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausages, £3.25, 11. Finnebrogue Naked 6 Pork Sausages, Ocado, £3.50, 12. Tesco Finest 10 Pork Sausages, £4.15

Waitrose Organic sausages received one of the highest scores (Photo: Waitrose)

Appearance: Decent browning. Even though one of the skins has split, I’d pick these bangers out of a line up.

Taste: Rich and slightly smoky flavour. One of my favourites. Not surprised to learn they’re Duchy Organic and made from pampered piggies as they should be for this price.

Texture: Spot on – slightly coarse.

Overall: 4/5

9. Heck 97% 6 Pork Sausages, ASDA, £3.18

Cost per sausage: 53p

1. Tesco Finest 4 Signature Pork Sausages, £4, 2. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 Pork Sausages, £3, 3. Morrison’s The Best 6 Thick Cumberland Sausages, £3.25, 4. Aldi Specially Selected 6 Classic Pork Sausages, £2.49, 5. Essential Waitrose 8 British Pork Sausages, £2.15, 6. No. 1 Waitrose British Free Range 6 Pork Sausages, £4.75, 7. Waitrose Summer 6 Pork Sausages, £4, 8. Waitrose Duchy Organic 6 Free Range British Pork Sausages, £5.35, 9. Heck 97% 6 Pork Sausages, ASDA, £3.18, 10. Morrison’s The Best 6 Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausages, £3.25, 11. Finnebrogue Naked 6 Pork Sausages, Ocado, £3.50, 12. Tesco Finest 10 Pork Sausages, £4.15

HECK’s sausages had an unappealing appearance (Photo: Asda)

Appearance: Unappealing puckered skin, crisp like a plastic bag, which splits.

Taste: Overly salty.

Texture: Very smooth.

Overall: 2/5

10. Morrison’s The Best 6 Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausages, £3.25

Cost per sausage: 54p

1. Tesco Finest 4 Signature Pork Sausages, £4, 2. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 Pork Sausages, £3, 3. Morrison’s The Best 6 Thick Cumberland Sausages, £3.25, 4. Aldi Specially Selected 6 Classic Pork Sausages, £2.49, 5. Essential Waitrose 8 British Pork Sausages, £2.15, 6. No. 1 Waitrose British Free Range 6 Pork Sausages, £4.75, 7. Waitrose Summer 6 Pork Sausages, £4, 8. Waitrose Duchy Organic 6 Free Range British Pork Sausages, £5.35, 9. Heck 97% 6 Pork Sausages, ASDA, £3.18, 10. Morrison’s The Best 6 Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausages, £3.25, 11. Finnebrogue Naked 6 Pork Sausages, Ocado, £3.50, 12. Tesco Finest 10 Pork Sausages, £4.15

This option is caramelised in brown sugar and infused with onion (Photo: Morrison’s)

Appearance: Delicious-looking browning.

Taste: The fact these contain caramelised onion is obvious from the name, but the onion flavour is overpowering as well as very sweet.

Texture: Quite smooth with a lot of the onion pieces.

Overall: 2.5/5

11. Finnebrogue Naked 6 Pork Sausages, Ocado, £3.50

Cost per sausage: 58p

1. Tesco Finest 4 Signature Pork Sausages, £4, 2. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 Pork Sausages, £3, 3. Morrison’s The Best 6 Thick Cumberland Sausages, £3.25, 4. Aldi Specially Selected 6 Classic Pork Sausages, £2.49, 5. Essential Waitrose 8 British Pork Sausages, £2.15, 6. No. 1 Waitrose British Free Range 6 Pork Sausages, £4.75, 7. Waitrose Summer 6 Pork Sausages, £4, 8. Waitrose Duchy Organic 6 Free Range British Pork Sausages, £5.35, 9. Heck 97% 6 Pork Sausages, ASDA, £3.18, 10. Morrison’s The Best 6 Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausages, £3.25, 11. Finnebrogue Naked 6 Pork Sausages, Ocado, £3.50, 12. Tesco Finest 10 Pork Sausages, £4.15

Finnebrogue is a great choice for a plain sausage (Photo: Finnebrogue)

Appearance: Satisfactory browning and shape.

Taste: A great choice if you want a plain sausage. From the same producer as the ALDI sausage and with 90% pork and a very similar ingredients list, so almost the same sausage, if not identical.

Texture: Fairly smooth.

Overall: 3.5/5

12. Tesco Finest 10 Pork Sausages, £4.15

Cost per sausage: 42p

1. Tesco Finest 4 Signature Pork Sausages, £4, 2. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 Pork Sausages, £3, 3. Morrison’s The Best 6 Thick Cumberland Sausages, £3.25, 4. Aldi Specially Selected 6 Classic Pork Sausages, £2.49, 5. Essential Waitrose 8 British Pork Sausages, £2.15, 6. No. 1 Waitrose British Free Range 6 Pork Sausages, £4.75, 7. Waitrose Summer 6 Pork Sausages, £4, 8. Waitrose Duchy Organic 6 Free Range British Pork Sausages, £5.35, 9. Heck 97% 6 Pork Sausages, ASDA, £3.18, 10. Morrison’s The Best 6 Pork & Caramelised Onion Sausages, £3.25, 11. Finnebrogue Naked 6 Pork Sausages, Ocado, £3.50, 12. Tesco Finest 10 Pork Sausages, £4.15

Tesco Finest often goes on Clubcard price (Photo: Tesco)

Appearance: Crispy on the outside – looks plasticky so I assume (rightly) a man- made/plant-based casing.

Taste: Bland and slightly sweet.

Texture: Some bite, but nowhere near interesting enough to mitigate the lack of flavour. Nonetheless these are cheaper than most, with a Clubcard price of £3.70 so good for big BBQs or gatherings.

Overall: 2.5/5

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