VEGGIE BURGER Review: Yum or Yuck?

 

 

 

 

You won’t miss the fat of a real burger when you eat a veggie burger that tastes great.

VEGGIE BURGER REVIEW: WHICH VEGGIE BURGERS DO WE LIKE… AND WHY?

Veggie burgers are vegetarian or vegan and usually contain soy protein.  As a result of their high-protein count, veggie burgers are satisfying and make an excellent replacement for hamburgers.    

Some veggie burgers taste simply horrid and look even worse when cooked, while others are scrumptious.

Most veggie burgers are flavored to “taste like” something – for example, to taste “grilled” or to taste “like” a mushroom burger, etc.  Dehydrated spices, cheese and vegetables are included in most veggie burgers, depending on the flavor.

Vegans will want to stay away from veggie burgers with cheese, and gluten-free folks will want to stay away from fillers that contain gluten. Additionally, those who react poorly to soy will want to check ingredients listed on the box.

Results of Our Veggie Burger Review:

Boca® brand Original Vegan Burger®

This was the first veggie burger we ever ate back when veggie burgers became widely available.  Our first foray into veggie burgers taught us a valuable lesson about preparing veggie burgers:  FOLLOW THE “RECOMMENDED” COOKING INSTRUCTIONS!

If you microwave a Boca Original Vegan Burger, for example, you will be hard-pressed to want to eat it because it becomes pale and limp (as many veggie burgers do when microwaved), plus it resembles a scoop of bland rice formed into a patty, then frozen, with the flavor of tasteless oatmeal.

BUT WAIT, when you prepare this patty on the stove-top in a non-stick skillet with a dash of olive oil (per recommended cooking methods) you get a rewarding, slightly crisp and flavorful veggie burger.

WE VOTE YUM

Nutritional Info: 13g protein, 0mg cholesterol, 4g fiber, 70 calories per 71g burger, sodium 12% 260mg.

    Morning Star Farms® brand Garden Veggie Patties®

Mama like this veggie burger.  This MorningStar Farms offering can be micro-waved without sacrificing texture and flavor and has visible pieces of black olive and shredded carrot throughout. Flecks of red pepper and crunchy dime-size pieces of water chestnut add interest.

There is a slight greasiness to this veggie burger that makes it almost juicy. This pattie does not pretend to be a burger but it satisfies like one. We also like MorningStar Farms’ Black Bean Burger.

WE VOTE YUM

Nutritional Info: 10g protein, 3.5g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 3g fiber, 110 calories per 67g pattie, sodium 15%  350mg.

   Boca® brand Bruschetta Tomato Basil Parmesan Veggie Patties®

We sampled this burger and loved it. The recommended cooking method was to pan fry with a dash of olive oil and the results were a nicely crisp outside with a mild oregano taste and visible shards of rosemary.

A Parmesan flavor and aroma were pleasantly noticeable. Not much tomato flavor was detected, but serving this  patty topped with spaghetti sauce would make a winning combination.

WE VOTE YUM

Nutritional Info: 13g protein,  1.5 total fat, <5g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 5g fiber, 90 calories per 71g pattie, sodium 18%  440mg

   Amy’s TEXAS Burger 

We almost flipped when we discovered Amy’s “TEXAS Veggie Burger” in our grocer’s freezer. The non-dairy, soy veggie patty depicted on the package looked like a dream come true. Could this frozen veggie burger really taste as good as it looks? Yes, it does.

Amy’s TEXAS Veggie Burger is hefty, with a somewhat rugged texture that deftly imitates ground beef patties.

The “Texas” tag on this veggie burger refers to a “barbecue flavor. ” Indeed, the barbecue flavor gives each patty a mild, smoky tinge that is pleasing.

Additionally, joy of joys, the sodium level in this product is quite acceptable. 350mg, or 15% of the daily value, is simply fabulous for any frozen food item.

Sadly, cost is the great equalizer when it comes to enjoying vegetarian or organic food. Amy’s products are costly for the average grocery store family budget. We paid $7.99 for our box of four Amy’s TEXAS Veggie Burgers. If, however, you are trying to eat more healthfully, is $2.00 per patty too much to ask?

Serve Amy’s TEXAS Veggie Burger on a whole grain hamburger bun and top with ketchup, yellow prepared-mustard and pickle slices. Time to enjoy a veggie burger – - TEXAS style.

WE VOTE SUPER YUM

NUTRITION FACTS - Per 1 burger serving: Calories 130, total fat 2.5g, cholesterol 0mg, sodium 350mg (15%) fiber 3g and protein 12g

A Word About Veggie Mushroom Burgers: