9 Bologna Brands, Ranked Worst To Absolute Best

Bologna is a wildly affordable lunch meat that often conjures heartfelt memories of childhood — you could sandwich a few bologna slices between soft white bread, add a smear of mayo, and the ultimate lunchbox sandwich was born. Whether it was for school, summer camp, or a picnic in the park, the classic bologna sandwich hit the spot. And for many people, it still does. Americans purchase hundreds of millions of pounds of bologna each year, and in 2024, the global market for bologna was $7.7 billion. That's a lot of bologna sandwiches.

What's the allure of this popular mystery meat? Bologna hails from the Italian city of the same name and is similar to its predecessor, mortadella. Bologna is made by grinding meat into a paste-like consistency before it is piped into a sausage casing and cooked. Made with seasoned pork, beef, chicken, or turkey (or a combination of meats), bologna is savory, meaty, and memorable.

To pick the best brand for this ranking, I put three slices of bologna on white bread — no mayo, no relish, nothing to cloud the experience. I judged each bologna based on its flavor and texture, and even brought in friends and family for their insights. If it tasted like perfectly seasoned mixed meat, the bologna got points. If the bologna was fatty and/or bland, it lost points. When shopping, I asked for all bologna brands to be sliced the same, so I could judge them equally. There were clear standouts in the category, and the results may surprise you.

Sadly, Dietz & Watson bologna was an easy pick for worst in the category. The beef bologna contains noticeable flecks of something around the edges, which is likely fat and/or the addition of nonfat dry milk. The ingredient list includes mustard, paprika, and onion powder, and one (or all) of those things left an unpleasant aftertaste. Since every other bologna brand I tested contained paprika, I'm reasonably confident it was the mustard and onion powder. My tasters said, "We don't like this at all".

I did like how Dietz & Watson seemed more artisanal, less pasty than some of the other brands, but the flavor wasn't that of treasured bologna. If you want to try a bologna brand unlike one you've tried before, you might like this one. If you decide to get it, I suggest you ask the deli to slice it thick. This bologna seemed unusually thin, almost wispy. Again, you might enjoy it. I did not, so it came in last.

I think Boar's Head is a solid brand, so I was surprised when I sampled this bologna. I ranked it second to last, and everyone agreed. In fact, it was unanimous. Boar's Head was ranked higher than Dietz & Watson because it didn't leave a funky aftertaste, but it ranks low because it didn't have much taste at all. When I first opened the package, I thought that it smelled like hot dogs. That's not necessarily a bad thing; it just didn't smell like bologna.

There are noticeable flecks of beef and pork fat in every slice, and one bite in, I could taste the fat. In fact, the bologna felt greasy on the palate. I did like the subtle smokiness from the spices that complemented the medley of beef and pork. But it wasn't enough to give this bologna the points it needed to move up in the rankings.

As is the case with most brands on this list, Boar's Head bologna contains sodium nitrite, which has been linked to heart disease and diabetes. So, if you're concerned about nitrites, you'll need to skip this brand and most of the others in this ranking.

Wunderbar is a Tyson brand, and this bologna is a marriage of pork, mechanically separated chicken, beef, and spices. I ranked this higher than the first two brands because the flavor was better. This bologna is more authentic German-style, meaning there were notes of garlic, pepper, and spices (I'm guessing cardamom and coriander, but I can't know for sure since the label simply says "spices"). 

The flavor was definitely better than the first two, but not good enough to make it to the top of the list. I also liked that the slices were larger; the meat was literally hanging off the edges of the bread.This bologna also lost points because it seemed fatty. While there weren't visible flecks of fat in each slice (like some other brands), I could feel the lard on my palate. If I choose to make a sandwich with this brand, I won't use more than a slice or two.

Sahlen's old fashioned sandwich bologna is more reminiscent of the bologna I grew up with. It's not deli-sliced, and the pre-packaged slices are firm and meaty. The marriage of pork and beef is a delight, and the ingredients seem fresher than the other brands somehow. Yes, bologna is a cooked, cured meat, not akin to fresh produce, but there was something about this bologna that gave it a fresh vibe. And that's why it ranked higher than the first three brands. I assume it's the addition of hydrolyzed proteins that gives this bologna a flavor bump. 

Sahlen's bologna contains hydrolyzed soy protein and hydrolyzed corn protein, food additives that enhance the taste of food while quelling any off-flavors. That also means this bologna contains soy, so if you're trying to avoid products with soy-based ingredients, skip this brand. So, where did Sahlen's lose points? It's fairly simple — the bologna was fine, pretty good actually. The slices were a tad thin, but the flavor was nice. But Sahlen's bologna simply couldn't compete with the winners in the category. 

When I first opened the package of Bar S bologna, I was shocked by how thick the slices were. Clearly, the thickest bologna slices are in this ranking. That's great if you like thick bologna slices (which I do), but my taste-testers did not. Each slice is also encased with a red ring, which I thought was food coloring at first. Turns out it's an inedible fibrous casing made with cellulose and paper (the red ring also has a glycerin sheen). You're not supposed to eat it (or feed it to your dog), so I'm glad I didn't do either.

Overall, I liked this bologna. It had better flavor than the previous brands and a nice balance of meat (mechanically separated chicken, pork, and beef) and seasonings. And since the slices are super thick, you likely only need one or two per sandwich. The only reason this bologna lost points was that it was overly salty. Compared to the other brands, Bar S has significantly more sodium — a 2-ounce serving contains 740 milligrams of sodium. All the other brands I tested had less sodium. If you're a fan of Bar S bologna, you're not alone. Simply serve it with a tall glass of water.

For many of us, Oscar Mayer is synonymous with bologna. And as soon as we hear the name, we start humming the catchy tune that spells it out. Or maybe that's just old timers like me. When I opened the package for this ranking, I was immediately transported back to when I was 10. Oscar Mayer bologna sandwiches were so popular when I was a kid, people would trade lunchbox items to score one. The kid with the bologna sandwich was the leader of the pack.

My first bite of this bologna did not disappoint. It was exactly as I remembered it — thick and meaty, with hints of paprika, mustard, and celery seed. Made with mechanically separated chicken, pork, as well as beef, you get a nice balance of flavors — not too beefy overall. The only reason Oscar Mayer can't rank higher is because the slices were a bit slimier than I recall. This bologna was more slippery than the other brands. Perhaps that's a result of packaging — freshly sliced deli meats are less likely to be wet — but I did need to blot the slices before placing them on the bread. For those die-hard Oscar Mayer fans out there, don't shoot the messenger. This is still a solid bologna; I just liked some other ones better.

Full disclosure here — I was completely shocked that a store brand, Bowl & Basket, ranked in the top three for bologna. But it was a clear third place for all my tasters — not first or second, but definitely third. I loved this bologna because there was a nice coupling of pork and beef, and the addition of natural flavors was on point. While we can't know what proprietary spices are used in this bologna, there are perceptible notes of paprika and hints of garlic, onion, celery, and pepper. The spices seasoned the meat blend nicely, and they didn't leave a lingering aftertaste on the palate (like some other brands did). I truly enjoyed the aroma and flavor of this bologna, and I'll be buying it again. 

The only reason this bologna didn't make it to the top two was because I enjoyed those brands more. That said, my taste-testers and I all decided that we would go back to this brand again, and we will certainly consider other creative ways to enjoy this bologna beyond the classic sandwich. If you haven't tried Bowl & Basket bologna, consider grabbing a pound the next time you hit the deli.

If you think it's odd that a turkey-based bologna made the top two, think again. Most of the brands already ranked contain poultry, often in the form of mechanically separated chicken. Empire bologna is made with mechanically separated turkey, poultry that's been raised without antibiotics and growth hormones. And while you can't "taste" antibiotic-free poultry, it's nice to know that's what you're consuming. I loved the flavor and texture of this bologna. It's quite like beef and pork-based bologna, but less fatty. This bologna is also brimming with flavor thanks to the addition of onion, garlic, paprika, celery, and mustard.

There's a hint of smoke flavor, which we all liked, and made this bologna feel more akin to German-style varieties. There's also a note of acidity (perhaps lemon juice or vinegar), which gives this bologna a pop of freshness. The combination of flavors and textures, coupled with the clean ingredient list, shot this bologna straight up to No. 2.

Meet the clear winner — 365 uncured beef bologna from Whole Foods. As soon as I opened the package, I could tell this bologna was different. The aroma was that of good-quality meat (not the aroma of hot dogs like one other brand), and the texture was firm, not slimy. This bologna is smoky and meaty, delivering strong notes of sea salt, celery, mustard, garlic, and black pepper. There's also a hint of vinegar (added in the form of vinegar powder) that catapults the nuances of the beef and spices. 

Did I notice a difference in flavor since this meat is uncured? In fact, it's the only uncured bologna I tested. The answer is no, I did not. Curing meat adds saltiness, but this bologna contains sea salt, so it's got all the flavor it needs. Just enough sea salt without being overly salty. 

I appreciated that the beef was raised without antibiotics or hormones, and the cattle were vegetarian fed (except for milk protein). This bologna also scored points because it's the only brand in the entire ranking that doesn't contain nitrites. If you're a fan of bologna but have been dodging sodium nitrite, this is your huckleberry. It's a clean bologna with great flavor and texture; it was easy to give this brand a well-deserved first place.

I've been a food writer for almost 30 years, so I've tasted my share of bologna. For this ranking, I grabbed every bologna brand I could find, as long as it was nationally available. There are several regional U.S. brands that are likely fabulous, but I limited this ranking to those you could find in your hometown. I hit five grocery stores and found nine national brands. I chose "original" bologna when available, which means a classic blend of beef and pork, or beef, pork, and chicken. Two brands (Dietz & Watson and Whole Foods) contained only beef, and one brand (Empire) contained only turkey.

I used three slices of each brand and layered them on a piece of white bread. I didn't alter the taste by adding condiments, but trust me, I wanted to make sandwiches with the tasty brands. I sampled and judged each bologna based on overall taste and texture. I even judged the aftertaste and thickness of the bologna slices. If the bologna had a nicely seasoned, meaty flavor, it moved up in the ranking. If it was fatty, slimy, or salty, it moved down. I also invited friends and family to help, since I had nine pounds of bologna to sample. We all agreed on this ranking — winners were those that excelled in taste, texture, and our desire to want more. I'm confident this ranking will ring true with many folks at home.