Which? blind-taste names Filippo Berio best supermarket pesto; Ocado wins value crown

Consumer group Which? has crowned Filippo Berio Classic Pesto its top supermarket jar after a blind tasting of 10 products, while Ocado’s own-brand Classic Green Pesto earned both a Best Buy nod and a Great Value accolade.

Which? recruited 71 tasters to evaluate supermarket and branded pestos on aroma, colour, texture, basil flavour and seasoning. Filippo Berio’s 190g jar, priced at £2.80, achieved the highest overall score, with testers praising its aroma, balanced basil flavour and a consistency described as neither too coarse nor too fine. Ocado’s 190g Classic Green Pesto, at £1.10, finished close behind and was highlighted by Which? as an economical option to stock up on.

Budget own-brand jars also performed strongly. Aldi’s Cucina Basil Pesto, 190g for 99p, was named among the top three and drew favourable comments for its appearance, scent and texture; some tasters suggested a small increase in salt would improve it further. Asda’s 99p 190g Green Pesto was rated generally good on looks and consistency, although around a third of tasters said it was underseasoned.

Sacla’s Classic Basil Pesto, the most expensive jar in the test at £3.35 for 190g, was noted for its vibrant colour, balanced salt and fresh basil flavour and was generally well liked for its smooth texture. Which? said its less impressive aroma and higher price weighed on its ranking. Lidl’s 190g Baresa Green Pesto (99p) was criticised by more than half of tasters for appearing too pale but retained a pleasing thickness and a basil strength that appealed to nearly two-thirds of testers.

Several well-known supermarket own brands placed in the lower half of the results. Tesco’s 99p Green Pesto scored highest among that group, with tasters commending its look, smell and consistency but saying its basil flavour was too intense for some. Morrisons’ 99p Green Pesto drew similar comments on appearance and texture but was judged by many to be overpoweringly basil-forward and lacking in salt. Sainsbury’s 99p Green Pesto was described as rather bland with only an "OK" consistency, with testers suggesting it needed more salt and basil depth. M&S’s Green Pesto, £1.40 for 190g, finished lowest overall; while its consistency was deemed pleasant, more than half of tasters said it lacked sufficient salt and had a weak basil character.

Which? did not publish numerical scores for every attribute in the summary released alongside the tasting. The organisation’s methodology involved blind tasting to limit brand bias and the use of multiple sensory criteria to assess each jar.

Shoppers choosing pesto appear to be presented with a range of trade‑offs between price and sensory qualities. Which?’s findings suggest that a higher price does not automatically deliver a better overall experience, while several budget options can offer satisfactory flavour and texture, with seasoning often the differentiator cited by tasters.