Think Twice Before Buying This Bread From The Aldi Bakery

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Aldi doesn't have an in-store bakery, but it offers a wide variety of packaged loaves. Before you go tossing bagged bread into your cart, though, be aware that some Aldi breads are better than others. Mashed tried a few of the specialty options, and unfortunately, while creating our list of the best and worst breads at Aldi, we weren't fans of the Specially Selected ciabatta sandwich rolls.

Ciabatta (not to be confused with focaccia) is an Italian bread known for its airy inside and rustic crust. Done right, it's incredible for sandwiches — done wrong, it's tough and difficult to chew. That's exactly what Mashed's taste-tester faulted Aldi's ciabatta rolls for. Although sealed in plastic, the rolls were dry with an almost stale texture and a disappointingly dense center.

At just over $4 per bag, or $0.23 per ounce, this puts the product toward the pricier side of Aldi's bakery offerings and raises expectations. For context, we chose Specially Selected small batch sourdough round as one of the best, and that loaf is normally priced at just under $4, or $0.15 per ounce. That, however, is certainly worth it, as you get a large loaf that tastes fresh and artisanal.

While we didn't like the ciabatta rolls, some Aldi customers do. On Reddit, one customer wrote, "Just tried these. They are better than Costco's or Sam's [Club] ciabatta rolls. Recommended." This positive feedback comes with a caveat: the Redditor recommended spreading butter on the rolls and broiling them in the oven to toast them slightly. Others in the r/aldi thread had similar recommendations, like drizzling on olive oil and toasting in the air fryer. A few minutes of warming can soften the inside and tough exterior, so this may have been the step we were missing.

If you're looking for another store-bought version to sample, ciabatta rolls are a Sam's Club bread we recommend buying. At $4.48, these rolls are close to Aldi's ciabatta pricing, but the larger bag works out to $0.20 per ounce. Trader Joe's ciabatta is a solid choice for sandwiches and quite affordable at $2.29, or $0.19 per ounce. Without leaving the comfort of your home, you could order Izzio Artisan Bakery take & bake ciabatta, the best-selling ciabatta on Amazon, which currently has a 4.6-star rating out of 866 reviews.

Of course, there's always the option of going to a true bakery to get the best bread available. Or, if you want total control of the texture, crust, and chewiness, turn on the oven and make a loaf yourself with this easy ciabatta recipe.