17 Plant-Based Burger Brands, Ranked From Worst To Best

The interest in plant-based meat has grown significantly in recent years, and for good reasons. Consumers are eating plant-based meat out of concern for the environment, individual health, and the ethical implications of animal agriculture. According to Plant Based Foods, plant-based meat products have outpaced the growth of conventional meat sales by six times within the past three years.

Many alternative meats on the market are being made to have the same taste, texture, and mouthfeel as conventional beef products. These factors make plant-based burgers less like veggie burgers of the past and more like beef analogs, and the functional purpose of the plant-based burger now becomes a viable alternative for folks who can't give up eating beef. 

We're reviewing some of the top meatless burgers designed to look and taste like meat — so you won't find any quinoa or 12-vegetable patties here. We've also excluded any products that include eggs as a binding ingredient, meaning all these burgers are vegan-safe. Our standards for comparison include taste, texture, and similarity to the beef product the burger is supposed to replace.

Many of BOCA's products contain eggs or milk, but not its original vegan veggie burgers. Each soy-and-wheat-based burger contains 13 grams of proteins and 80 calories, thus making it one of the more protein-dense, smaller burger options on our list. You can purchase these packages in several different sizes, including 4-packs up to 12-packs. 

We were disappointed by the taste and the texture of these burgers. There isn't any gristle or fattiness, and the texture doesn't resemble the meatiness of beef. While these burgers have some smoky flavor, it's on the periphery and hard to distinguish. There are no clear flavor notes, either, so we'd consider this burger patty blander compared to the others. It's not gourmet, it's not transformational, and it's just below average. We recommend skipping it on your next grocery trip.

MorningStar Farms' Incogmeato line is entirely plant-based (compared to some of its products, many of which contain eggs). Its Incogmeato burgers are made with soy protein and are gluten-free. One burger has 220 calories and 20 grams of protein, which is on par with other brands like BEYOND and Impossible. 

One of the most significant drawbacks of this burger is its price — especially when its meaty taste is lacking compared to other cheaper brands. Since this burger is made with soy protein, it can have a slightly mealy texture rather than a cohesive, meaty, stringy one. Like other brands, Incogmeato burgers are made with methylcellulose, a plant-based food thickener, emulsifier, and bulk-forming laxative (via Abbot's Butcher). We advise you to eat with care. The smell of these burgers before cooking can also be somewhat off-putting to eaters; several reviewers have likened it to the smell of dog food.  

Gardein manufactures many vegan meatless alternatives, including chick'n, plant-based pork, and, of course, burgers. Its Ultimate Plant-Based Burger is one of several burgers the company makes and sells in most major grocery stores. Gardein's availability is much better than other niche burger brands we reviewed. In addition, the patties are reasonably priced and come with six in a package.

Gardein products are unsuitable for folks with gluten allergies since they contain vital wheat gluten and wheat flour and for folks with intolerances to peas and legumes. The burger gets its fatty taste from coconut oil, which can be a little bit waxier and more off-putting than other types of oils because of its smoothness. 

The Ultimate Plant-Based Burger has some merits — but its overall taste and texture make it one of the bottom ones on our list. Several reviewers have noted that the smokiness of the burger resembles real meat, but otherwise, the flavor doesn't resemble beef in any capacity. 

unMEAT is an up-and-coming meatless food brand showing great potential to excel in the market. Since this brand is still in its early adoption phase, it isn't easy to find in grocery stores. Its burgers are soy-based and have less sodium than other plant-based burger brands at 290 milligrams per patty. These burgers have slightly less protein and more calories than other plant-based burgers, with 270 calories and 17 grams of protein each. 

The patties are generous in size and stick together well during cooking. To keep these burgers moist in the pan, we recommend steaming them with a lid on or using your air fryer to lock in the moisture. Reviewers described the taste of this burger as average compared to other brands. 

Whole Foods' in-house brand, 365 by Whole Foods Market, has a plant-based burger in its vegan product lineup. These burgers are much smaller than other brands, so it may take more than one to fill your plant-based burger craving. One patty contains 10 grams of protein, which is slightly above average for its size. These burgers are made with a soy protein base and are suitable for gluten-free eaters. 

The flavor of this burger is average, with slight undertones of mushroom and char-broiled smokiness. Other reviewers noted that the taste of this burger was too salty. However, the taste wasn't the only thing funky about these burgers. Several reviewers also pointed out that these burgers' texture differed from that of an out-performing Impossible or BEYOND burger. 

OZO burgers are made with textured pea and rice protein. Each burger has 200 calories and 19 grams of protein, which is about the same amount of protein as other brands. The major downside for this brand is that it is difficult to source; Kroger and Safeway are the only major grocers carrying the product.

The flavor of these burgers is more umami-rich, likely from the inclusion of mushrooms in the burger's recipe. The texture is similar to that of a beef-based burger but without the analog taste of a beef burger. We found the best way to cook this burger is by cooking it in a skillet. The outside of the burger crisps up nicely and forms a crunchy shell while keeping the inside moist and tender. 

Dr. Praeger's is one of the most notable brands in the plant-based food industry. Its burger lineup contains several options, including the California veggie burger, Korean veggie burger, and Perfect burger. But how perfect is the Perfect burger?

The Perfect Burger is soy-free, non-GMO, and gluten-free. Plus, it's made with beet, carrot, sweet potato, and butternut squash for color. The flavor of this burger is slightly above average, and it has a very tight texture that isn't as crumbly as other brands on the list. This burger also doesn't "bleed" like the Impossible Burger, so it doesn't wholly resemble a beef burger. If you can forgo that aspect of this veggie burger, it would be an excellent option to keep in your freezer for an easy weeknight dinner.

The BEYOND burger is all we've ever wanted in a burger and more. The flavor of this burger is very comparable to a beef burger, but there aren't the same meaty notes you'd find in a pub burger. The texture sticks together during cooking and doesn't change in size, too, which is perfect if you're grilling for a crowd. These burgers are also gluten- and soy-free thanks to rice and pea protein, making the brand one of the more allergy-accommodating of the ones we've reviewed. The BEYOND burger is made with some more "natural" ingredients for color and flavor, like beet juice color, and apple extract, pomegranate concentrate.

If you go through many of these burgers, we recommend purchasing them in bulk from stores like Costco to keep the cost as low as possible. The one major downside to buying this meatless burger is a slightly unappetizing smell before it is cooked, but it is otherwise a solid option for allergy-friendly, meatless dinners.