# Had my first Impossible Burger **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 6, 2019, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264 "2019-08-06T18:33:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/81 "2019-11-09T20:42:21Z")
I’ve had the Impossible Whopper three times. Tastes all right, but anything slathered with that much mayonnaise and ketchup should be at least passable. Don’t think I’ll be getting it again; just don’t see the point in paying more for a sandwich that isn’t any healthier. Mainly, I don’t understand what niche this fills. Because they’re cooked in the same vats as regular beef patties, they’re off-limits to vegans (plus the fact that mayonnaise contains eggs), and they have pretty much the same amount of fat and even more sodium. I suppose they’re possibly more environmentally friendly, but the fact remains that buying one supports a company that does sell a tremendous amount of meat every day. Bottom line, you don’t renew your driver’s license at a library, you don’t shop for a wedding dress at a hardware store, and you don’t look for healthy or environmentally friendly eating at a fast food joint. If you want plants, eat PLANTS…fresh, whole, unprocessed. I remember Costco had a few veggie burger options, including Morningstar Farms. Haven’t seen them in a long time. They were okay on their own, but I’d never consider any of them a meat substitute in a million years. Don’t think I’d like an Impossible Burger without the trimmings. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/82 "2019-11-09T21:10:21Z")
It’s amusing that these “Advanced Meat Substitutes” are being marketed as “healthier” than beef, when the IB patty has more saturated fat (coconut oil) and sodium than the standard “Space Meat” Whopper, it’s basically “Green Slime” vs. “Pink Slime” they’re both basically junk food, one is made from plants, one is made from animals… Heck, you could probably get McDonalds to make an “Impossible McRib” sandwich that’d be less repellent than the “pork” based one they sell for a limited time, and that’s coming from an omnivore who leans more to the carnivore side, the McRib is just utterly repellent. if you have the IW made with no mayo, but add mustard, wonder how it’d taste when I do get a fast food burger, I generally prefer the Wendy’s single, lettuce, tomato, pickles, mustard, ketchup, no mayo, no cheese, no buttered bun, just toasted, it’s the closest approximation to their old style version, eliminating the mayo, cheese and butter reduces a good amount of fat and empty calories, it’s no health food, but it’s less evil than normal ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/83 "2019-11-09T23:20:47Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > It’s amusing that these “Advanced Meat Substitutes” are being marketed as “healthier” than beef … HUh. I’ve not heard anything other than straight up recognition that they have _no_ health advantage over what they purport to replace. The sales pitch is more greenwashing than that. Less land use, fewer emissions, less water use … so on. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/84 "2019-11-09T23:40:01Z")
> [@DKW](#): > > Mainly, I don’t understand what niche this fills. It’s for my friends who don’t eat beef because of the environmental cost. Which is most of our tavern’s Monday Night Football crowd. They love beef, they miss beef, but they care about deforestation and how much food and water it takes to create a pound of beef. My scruples, on the other hand, are helpless in the face of a good burger. And, no, none of The Guys, or anyone else I’ve heard, have said they’re healthier. > [@](#): > > It’s amusing that these “Advanced Meat Substitutes” are being marketed as “healthier” than beef. No, Burger King went out their way to say they’re not (even the guy behind the counter warned me of that). Just that they’re plant-based. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/85 "2019-11-09T23:40:27Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > HUh. I’ve not heard anything other than straight up recognition that they have _no_ health advantage over what they purport to replace. The sales pitch is more greenwashing than that. Less land use, fewer emissions, less water use … so on. It’s slick but it’s in there. No, there is no _direct_ mention of any health advantages of the Impossible Whopper over it’s beef counterpart. But the use of the term “plant-based” over and over is something new in the world of marketing meatless burgers, and it’s obviously intentional. Its to make people associate eating an Impossible Whopper with eating plants, (veggies, etc) a much healthier image and concept, rather than eating a junk food burger no healthier than the original whopper. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/86 "2020-03-27T22:45:16Z")
I noticed BK started delivering here again (via DoorDash) so I decided to try one. _Mostly_ tastes just like a regular Whopper but I did detect a bit of a veggie taste in a couple of bites, mainly where it was overcooked. Still a damn sight better than [these abominations](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91ct3cldBZL._SL1500_.jpg), which I had the misfortune of trying at a picnic this past Columbus Day. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/87 "2020-03-27T23:33:12Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > I noticed BK started delivering here again (via DoorDash) so I decided to try one. _Mostly_ tastes just like a regular Whopper but I did detect a bit of a veggie taste in a couple of bites, mainly where it was overcooked. Still a damn sight better than [these abominations](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91ct3cldBZL._SL1500_.jpg), which I had the misfortune of trying at a picnic this past Columbus Day. Those MorningStar patties aren’t bad, IMHO. But they are not at all trying to be meat. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/88 "2020-03-28T13:51:53Z")
Maybe I misremembered the brand. Whatever it was, it was like having a mouthful of uncooked oatmeal with peas, corn, etc. mixed in. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/89 "2020-03-31T19:27:57Z")
The last time I want grocery shopping the store was completely out of ground beef of any kind, but they had the Beyond Meat ground meat substitute. So I thought why not give it a try? I wanted some comfort food last weekend, so I used it in one of my favorite meals from my childhood – a completely inauthentic, mid-century convenience food version of beef stroganoff made from ground beef, canned cream of chicken soup, and sour cream. And the verdict is… I don’t really care for it. The texture seems about right, but the taste and smell seem a bit off. Maybe it’s better as a burger, but in this application I don’t care for it. I guess there’s a possibility that I didn’t cook it right, also. I didn’t actually look at the packaging to see if there were any instructions; I just cooked it the same way I’d cook normal ground beef. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/90 "2021-09-30T23:46:33Z")
Late to the party here, but I just tried my first Impossible burger today. My impression? It’s a truly valiant effort to make imitation hamburger out of soy. You’d never mistake the two, but I’d say it’s a very, very good veggie burger. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2021, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/91 "2021-09-30T23:51:36Z")
Tastes great if you add bacon. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2021, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/92 "2021-10-01T21:09:23Z")
I think the burgers are good. A couple times I’ve made chili with Impossible meat substitute, but the chili was a bit lacking. The consistency isn’t right…as the ground meat substitute sits in the chili, it starts to absorb liquid and gets slightly mushy. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2021, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/93 "2021-10-01T22:03:28Z")
Yeah, cooking with it, it doesn’t really work in “wet” recipes like chili. Sloppy Joes is about as saucy as I would get with it. Even for that, I break it up and cook it off first. I’m getting a pack of the regular stuff and a pack of their new spicy sausage in my Imperfect Produce delivery next week, and I’m going to make a meatloaf with them. ---
**Author:** ![Retzbu\_Tox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/retzbu_tox/32/11829_2.png) [@Retzbu\_Tox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Retzbu_Tox)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2021, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/94 "2021-10-01T23:04:54Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Now they need to make an impossible-bacon worth a shit. I thought for awhile they might make it from dulce. > **[Whatever happened to the sensational seaweed that supposedly tastes like bacon?](https://www.nwnewsnetwork.org/food-agriculture-and-animals/2019-07-25/whatever-happened-to-the-sensational-seaweed-that-supposedly-tastes-like-bacon)** > > Oregon State University created something of a sensation back in 2015 when researchers announced they discovered and patented "seaweed that tastes like… > [@Skywatcher](#): > > I did detect a bit of a veggie taste in a couple of bites, mainly where it was overcooked. Ditto. I have had several Impossible Whoppers at this point, and most were quite good. However, one that was way overcooked tasted like burnt lawn clippings. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2021, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/95 "2021-10-02T02:45:51Z")
Both Beyond and Impossible are ready to bring fake chicken nuggets to market: > **[Beyond Meat's plant-based 'chicken' tenders are coming to grocery stores |...](https://techcrunch.com/2021/09/27/beyond-meats-plant-based-chicken-tenders-are-coming-to-grocery-stores/)** > > You'll find them at select Walmart locations and other retailers starting in October.. > **[The new Impossible nuggets actually taste like chicken](https://www.washingtonpost.com/s/food/2021/09/08/impossible-chicken-nuggets-taste/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWJpZCI6IjI3NjI4NDAxIiwicmVhc29uIjoiZ2lmdCIsIm5iZiI6MTYzMzE0Mjc0MywiaXNzIjoic3Vic2NyaXB0aW9ucyIsImV4cCI6MTYzNDM1MjM0MywiaWF0IjoxNjMzMTQyNzQzLCJqdGkiOiJhOGFiN2UzNS01YmU1LTRiN2ItYWU2NS1lOWY0MDNjYTVkNzAiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YXNoaW5ndG9ucG9zdC5jb20vZm9vZC8yMDIxLzA5LzA4L2ltcG9zc2libGUtY2hpY2tlbi1udWdnZXRzLXRhc3RlLyJ9.ZPtSoDRiXf60JdrAX_StHDeY3AVGMQibJErpo_yzAEI&itid=gfta)** > > Impossible Foods, which brought us plant-based beef that "bleeds," is taking on chicken nuggets. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/96 "2025-05-13T23:03:25Z")
BUMP I went to Burger King and got an Impossible Whopper today. We get 25% off all BK through Walmart. Eh, it was fine. I could taste the difference, but it was not bad if it is more sustainable than meat, I could see things going this way in the future. It’s not healthier, or if it is…barely. It’s the only plant-based meat I’ve had. Has anything changed the past 5 years? ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2025, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/97 "2025-05-14T03:08:14Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Has anything changed the past 5 years Beyond Burger stock has plumetted from a high of 200ish down to 2 ish. Impossible is privately owned but probably not doing well either. After the covid boom, a lot of places stopped serving those. BK is one of the last holdouts, and probably not for long. Not sure if those companies will survive much longer. They’re probably better for the environment, but aren’t necessarily healthier or more sustainable (in terms of being able to be produced and eaten long term by everyone), and they are way more expensive. Once the fad died, so did the market… This was a great video on the topic: [https://youtu.be/gtxNdoIg4g0?si=-ZfY5tvTwLkqxOoQ](https://youtu.be/gtxNdoIg4g0?si=-ZfY5tvTwLkqxOoQ) (mainly about why manufactured vegan foods have a hard time competing against subsidized meat and dairy products and against animal ag subsidies in general). That said though, there are a lot of other smaller mock meat brands that are now widely available (like Daring Chicken) and generic oatmilk is everywhere now. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2025, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/98 "2025-05-14T04:53:46Z")
It’s not that it’s a bad product, in fact it’s a very good product; the problem is it doesn’t do anything that real meat doesn’t do. You’re trading the unpleasant inconveniences of animal meat for an extremely processed product that is _really_ close but even if it were _identical_, the price is higher or the same. Ethics alone aren’t going to convert 99% of people, there has to be a real incentive somewhere, and the one people like the most is price. If it were half the price of real meat, then they might have something to work with. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2025, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/99 "2025-05-14T06:13:47Z")
Yeah, I’m kinda hoping the company goes bankrupt and the patents and recipes get bought for pennies on the dollar and all the R&D that went into it can be written off, and then they could just be mass produced for cheap. It’s really just oily soy slurry, it shouldn’t be like $5 for a raw patty. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2025, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264/100 "2025-05-14T06:30:11Z")
I’ve tried them a couple of times (out of curiosity - I’m not a vegan or vegetarian). Certainly they are an impressive bit of food engineering, but they unfortunately landed in an uncanny valley for me - because they are close to the real thing, but not quite close enough and this overshadowed the tasting experience with a sort of ‘what is this?’ vibe, whereas something _less_ like meat would probably have just been ‘hey, this is nice’. I think it was the homogeneity of the flavour - the whole thing tastes of the whole thing; of course I know that a meat-based burger is highly processed and mixed, but a well-prepared beefburger has heterogeneity of flavour; there’s a smoky and savoury seared crust; there’s a juicy, sweeter middle, etc. Even though my Impossible/beyond burgers were seared on the outside and juicy inside, the whole thing tasted of a mixture of seared and sweet (I think because some of the ‘seared’ flavour is from ingredients, rather than developing in cooking) and it yanked me out of the moment a bit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/had-my-first-impossible-burger/838264.md?page=6)