In the past, if you were vegetarian or vegan and wanted to go to a fast-food restaurant, you either had to order a salad or starve. But not anymore. One of the world’s biggest fast food chains came up with a plant-based version of its signature burger, and it’s all beginning to change.
The vegan lifestyle may not be for everyone, especially if you enjoy your meat. However, you will be intrigued by the appearance of Burger King’s Impossible Whopper, so let’s see how it holds up to its meat-based counterpart.
Why Was It Introduced?
Burger King introduced the Impossible Whopper because of the increasing popularity of the vegan lifestyle and subsequent demand for plant-based items on fast food menus. There have been other attempts at introducing meat alternatives in fast food chains, but they never caught on for one reason or another.
Burger King’s Impossible Whopper is a game-changer, at least according to those who have tried it. Let’s find out which parts of the game it’s changed, and whether for better or worse.
How Is the Impossible Whopper Made?
Burger King’s Impossible Whopper was created in collaboration with Impossible Foods, a company that focuses on making the best meat alternatives on the market. The patty of the Impossible Whopper contains 100% plant material and 0% beef. The bulk of the patty consists of water, soy protein concentrate, coconut oil, sunflower oil, and a number of natural flavorings.
Another ingredient that is unique to the plant-based whopper is Heme, an iron-containing molecule found in both hemoglobin (animal protein) and leghemoglobin (soy protein), which gives meat its meaty taste.
Comparing It to the Original Whopper
Both the original and the Impossible Whopper look the same at first glance, as they both have the same ingredients, except for the patty of course.
The toppings for the patties are pretty simple, thinly-sliced tomatoes, crunchy lettuce, delectable pickles, sliced onions, the standard ketchup and mayo, placed between two incredibly soft buns.
When you open up the Whopper and take a look inside, there is a perfectly round patty with the signature grill marks, but you can definitely tell that it’s different from the beef patty and it doesn’t come standard with cheese.
The sandwich itself tastes really nice. The patty tastes similar to a beef whopper although not as juicy or possessing the same beefy flavor. The mayonnaise and ketchup help a lot in making the sandwich a bit less dry. The sesame seed bun is very soft, so the pickles, white onions, and fresh lettuce give the sandwich a much-needed crunchy texture, while the tomatoes offer some additional freshness.
Impossible Whopper Review
1. Taste and Texture 4/5
As I mentioned, the toppings are the same as for the original Whopper, so it includes onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, mayo, all nestled on a grilled patty between soft sesame seed buns. The ‘’meaty’’ flavor of the patty tastes surprisingly good.
2. Are they Healthy? 4/5
Burger King’s Impossible Whopper has 630 calories, 34g of fat (with 11g of saturated fat, 0g of trans fat, and 10mg of cholesterol), 58g of carbohydrates (12g of sugar), 4g of fiber, 25g of protein, and 1080mg of sodium.
The nutritional value of the Impossible Whopper is pretty similar to the original sandwich, but with some differences. The plant-based whopper has fewer calories than the beef whopper, but only by about 30, and it also contains less fat.
The interesting thing is that it has about 100 mg more sodium, but that is probably because a bit more salt is needed to bring out the flavor of the patty compared to the beef one. Even though there isn’t a significant difference in the healthiness of the two sandwiches, the Impossible Whopper definitely leaves a smaller environmental impact than the beef Whopper.
3. Are they Worth it? 4.5/5
A regular Whopper is about $5.99, while an Impossible Whopper is around $6.49, so 50 cents more. If you are after a plant-based burger that tastes like the original, then it is definitely worth it to pay a little extra.
Final Verdict
The Impossible Whopper is a really good burger, and it does come pretty close to Burger King’s original Whopper, especially in regard to the texture.
Still, the beef patty is the superior one regarding taste and juiciness. But even if you enjoy eating meat and you aren’t considering becoming a vegetarian or vegan, you should definitely give the Impossible Whopper a taste, as it is a pretty damn good burger.
Impossible Whopper Nutrition
| Serving Size | 1 burger | |
| Calories | 630 | |
| Calories From Fat | 306 | |
| Amount Per Serving | % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat | 34g | 52% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | |
| Cholesterol | 10mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 1080mg | 45% |
| Total Carbohydrates | 58g | 19% |
| Dietary Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugars | 12g | |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
Have you tried the Impossible Whopper yet? Let us know what you thought if it in the comments!
HOW MUCH?