'I Tried the New Impossible Burger to See If It's Worthy of Your Labor Day Cookout'
Years ago, meat alternatives were both hard to come by and left much to be desired, but these days there are some top-notch options for vegetarians. Many restaurants and even chains like Burger King have hopped on board, offering more options for their vegan and vegetarian customers.
The Impossible company is one of the biggest players in the plant-based meat scene and their product is what's used in the Impossible Whopper. And this summer the company decided to take things up a notch by launching a thicker, juicier, meatier plant-based burger: Indulgent Impossible Patties. I'd seen some coverage on the burger and it definitely looked bigger and beefier, so I was very curious to give it a try. With Labor Day right around the corner, I decided now was a good time to grab a pack and see if the burgers lived up to the hype.
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How is the new Indulgent Impossible Burger different from the original?
The new burger, which landed in stores in June, is a 1/3 pound (vs. the 1/4 pound classic) and is beefier, thicker and juicier overall. Indulgent patties also have slightly more protein (22 g vs. 19) and fat (27 g vs. 13) than the original.
The reason why Impossible Burgers taste so convincing comes down to one thing: heme. According to Impossible Foods, heme is an essential molecule containing iron that is found in every living plant and animal (including humans). It gives meat and blood its color. It's “what makes meat taste like meat.” The heme that Impossible Foods uses is made via fermentation of genetically engineered yeast.
Courtesy of Impossible Foods
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What are people saying about the new Impossible Burger?
According to Impossible Foods, 82% of consumers say it tastes as good as or better than ground beef from cows. Commenters on TikTok and Instagram have also weighed in. "It’s amazing how much it looks like a burger when it’s cooked AND uncooked!!" says one person. "Tastes like meat! So crazy." adds another. One excited customer says "Oh it’s getting THICCC this summer." Critics of the burger call out the long ingredients list and aren't convinced that it's a healthier alternative to beef burgers.
What does the new Impossible Burger taste like?
To answer this question, I had to make one myself. Before cooking, I turned on Impossible Foods' Summer Grilling playlist that I found lurking at the bottom of their website (because why not?). With the playlist set, I heated up a grill pan and got to work.
Courtesy of Jessica Wrubel
First off, this looks like a regular burger patty. And it took a lot of reminders to myself as I was prepping that I didn't need to whip out the anti-bacterial spray and go nuts after opening the pack.
Cooking these babies was a snap. I followed the directions, cooking on a grill pan for about 3 minutes per side. My only problem here was that it sizzled on the pan so loudly that it drowned out the perfectly timed Olivia Rodrigo song I was trying to sing along to from their playlist (however, "Leave the Door Open" by Bruno Mars which came on next was the perfect reminder as I did set off my smoke detector).
I'm a meat eater, but I love meat alternatives, tofu, tempeh, you name it, and buy and cook all of them frequently. So I feel I'm a good candidate for trying this one out. If you didn't tell me it was a meat-free burger, I would think it was a pre-made patty from the grocery store. It was easy to cook, versatile, juicy and filled me up. This was not, however, a giant, piled high-to-the-sky Insta-worthy burger from your local bar. Impossible Burgers are good, but they know their lane.
The char on the burger was impressive and rivaled a beef burger. The texture was also pretty decent. Impossible Burgers aren't known for being an 80s veggie burger dupe, after all. The fact that I put it on a brioche bun and added bacon (I know, I know) made it even more decadent.
Related: Here's What Happens to Your Body if You Eat a Burger Every Day
Where can you buy the new Impossible Burgers?
Indulgent Burger Patties are available in some grocery stores now, with wider nationwide availability to follow. You can check the locator map on the Impossible Foods website to see if they're at a store near you. The suggested retail price is $8.99 for a 10.66-ounce 2-pack.
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