Marks and Spencer's tikka masala curry sauce has been crowned the best in a taste test that compared seven supermarket offerings with two leading brands, beating Patak's and Sharwood's.
The M&S sauce scored 8.5 out of 10, described as "super fragrant, thick and richly aromatic" and "easily the best of the day". Patak's came second with 8 out of 10, while Sharwood's scored 7 out of 10.
How the sauces were tested
The comparison, carried out by Matt Davies, pitted two of the most popular tikka brands, Sharwood's and Patak's, against seven supermarket offerings. The sauces were judged on flavour, texture, heat, and value for money.
Each sauce was scored out of 10, with the cheapest options costing 85p for 500g from Sainsbury's, Lidl, Asda, Aldi, and Tesco. Sharwood's was the most expensive at £2.65 for 420g, followed by Patak's at £2.50 for 450g and M&S at £2.10 for 500g.
Standout results
Tesco's tikka masala scored 7.5 out of 10, praised for balancing sweetness and spice well, with "lovely onion and garlic notes" and a "pleasant chunky texture". It was described as "far exceeds rivals Morrisons and Sainsbury's" and "highly recommended as a budget option".
Aldi's Rich and Creamy tikka also scored 7.5 out of 10, with the taster noting it was "quite hot for a supposedly mild offering" and awarding extra marks for the heat. Asda scored 7 out of 10, described as "dark and aromatic with a slight kick" and "a solid budget option".
Lidl scored 6 out of 10, with the taster saying the heat "saved it from the bottom two". Morrisons scored 5.5 out of 10, described as "very tomatoey" with a "sickly texture", while Sainsbury's scored 5 out of 10, with the taster noting an "overpowering tomato flavour" and a "strange smell".
Final verdict
The M&S sauce was praised for having "a perfect level of spice for a mild offering" and being "aromatic and brimming with flavour", with a deeper orange colour and more savoury overtones than Sharwood's. The taste test concluded that M&S had "once again proved itself as a force to be reckoned with".
