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.

The Earth Grown flame-grilled protein burger from Aldi's comes in two varieties: a vegetarian one made with eggs and a vegan one; if you want the vegan one, make sure the sticker explicitly states "vegan" on the package. The one benefit of this burger is being more cost-effective than other burgers. At the time of publication, four burgers were priced at $2.99.

The texture of this burger gives us school lunch vibes — it crumbles when you bite into it, and there is virtually no flavor. However, it would be easy for us to distinguish this burger from a beef one at a barbecue — mainly because the beef burger has a give to it that the Aldi's Earth Grown burger couldn't compare with. It is also higher in protein and lower in fat than other burgers — but is significantly smaller in size. One 100-calorie patty contains 16 grams of protein, which makes it a good option for vegan gym gurus on a budget. 

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.

Meatless Farm started its operations in Britain and has since expanded its product lineup to include several vegan options, including beef-less mince, sausage, and burgers. Its burgers are made with pea protein and contain 17 grams of protein per 100-gram serving. Meatless Farm burgers are also soy and gluten-free. 

The main drawback with these burgers is how greasy they are; vegetable oils are listed in the top three ingredients of the burger. There is also minimal meaty flavor; these burgers are pretty bland. The texture was average, and it was difficult to determine when the burger was finished cooking because of its color. However, the "meat" sticks together as an excellent grill-able burger should, making the brand a suitable substitute for someone who likes to go heavy with their burger toppings. 

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.  

Lightlife makes more than just tempeh. Its burgers are made with pea protein and have slightly more calories with the same amount of protein than other burgers we reviewed. The flavors of this brand's burger are relatively lackluster, but there are some redeeming qualities for this burger in the grilling department. Several reviewers note that the burger can quickly get the characteristic grill marks of a meat burger, and the patty stays really juicy while cooking. Therefore, this brand is ideal for someone looking to switch to a plant-based burger without sacrificing texture or grill-ability. 

Like many of the burgers on our list, LightLife is a costly brand. These burgers come in packages of two — which is not ideal for barbecues or events — and can cost upwards of $4 a patty. 

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. 

You would expect a charred, hickory flavor if a burger advertised its grill-ready flavor. Unfortunately, MorningStar Farms Veggie Grillers Prime burgers fall short of this expectation. 

The ingredients for this burger are similar to other MorningStar products — with wheat and soy. We didn't find a ton of grill flavor from these burgers (but slightly more from this product than others from the MorningStar lineup). We also found them drier and more crumbly than the other juicy meatless burgers we ranked. Overcooking these burgers past the recommended time can make them chewy and akin to rubber tires than a burger. We recommend grilling these burgers or preparing them in a skillet rather than the oven to help preserve what little moisture the burger has.

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. 

Future Farms is another rising brand in the meatless food space — therefore, its products are not easy to find. 

Its Future Burger is marketed as "carbon-neutral" and cooks like other plant-based burgers. However, the taste isn't anything transformational that sets it apart from other burgers. The burger could be more meaty and flavorful, but the one redeeming quality is that it is thicker than other brands. Several reviewers noted that the taste of this burger is less salty than others.  This burger has slightly less protein than in other notable brands, but not by much. 

If you're looking for a more robust taste from your burger, we recommend purchasing a BEYOND or an Impossible burger. But if you're searching for a mild-tasting patty with a similar "bleeding" effect to other, more expensive brands, this burger should be in your rotation.

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. 

MorningStar Farms Vegan Meat Lovers Burger is made with wheat gluten and soy protein, so it is not suitable for folks with allergies to either. When scanning the ingredient list, we couldn't help but notice the top two ingredients in this burger were water and vegetable oil. Despite this, the burger has nowhere near the same gristle or fat as a beef burger. There is, however, a slight char flavor and large size that mimics a traditional beef burger. One burger contains 27 grams of protein, which is highly satiating and more than the other brands we reviewed. 

If you purchase these burgers and cook them in a skillet, we recommend cooking them less than the recommended 18 to 20 minutes to avoid overcooking. 

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. 

The Before the Butcher uncut plant-based burger is crafted with soy protein and is safe for gluten-free diets. Unlike other products, these burgers are not frozen. You can cook them in less than six minutes, which is perfect for busy weeknight meals. The burgers are generous in size and contain 19 grams of protein per each 4-ounce patty. 

While it certainly wasn't one of our worst-performing plant-based patties, there is still room for improvement. These burgers cook well and maintain their shape compared to other types. The main reasons why this product didn't score higher on our ranking were because of the limited availability in major grocery stores and its average flavor. The top-performing brands had a more prominent beefy taste than Before the Butcher.  We also want this brand to offer more freezer-friendly options since it's unrealistic to expect many folks to get away with refrigerated patties with a limited shelf life.

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.

Field Roast's Chef Signature burgers are like a hybrid between a veggie burger and a meat analog. The texture of the burger is very unique compared to other types of burgers because it's made with vital wheat gluten rather than pea or soy protein (sorry gluten-free folks, but this one is out). Our favorite thing about this burger is its flavor and umami-forwardness; it's made with roasted garlic, tomato paste, onions, and several types of mushrooms. We're big fans of all of Field Roast's products, including CHAO cheese and its delicious vegan sausages, so we're not surprised that its burgers are equally as delicious.

The only drawback to Field Roast products is their price and the burgers' availability. A pack of four patties can cost upwards of $12 — if you can find them in a store near you. 

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.

Our award for best meatless burger goes to the tried-and-true Impossible Foods. Unlike other burgers, these contain heme, giving viewers the impression that the burger is "bleeding" while cooking. This cinematic effect, the meat-like taste, and its juicy, succulent texture make the Impossible Burger stand out among the rest. 

In addition to the pre-shaped burgers, you can also purchase meatless grounds from Impossible Foods to craft your own meatless meatballs or pasta bolognese. Each burger patty has 19 grams of soy-based protein, which is comparable to 80% lean beef. While individuals with soy allergies cannot eat this product, it is safe for gluten-free folks to enjoy. 

The Impossible Burger is perfect for grilling for both vegans and meat-eaters alike. We would unequivocally recommend it to anyone looking to try a meatless burger — or anyone who is just looking for a delicious burger. 

All prices listed are at the time of publication.