Where’s the beef? Which veggie burger are we INto?
With the rise of plant-based diets AND an absurd amount of veggie-burgers stowed away in our freezer, it’s fitting for us food-honchos to sample a few veggie-based burgers and let you know which is on our menu this season.
The criteria:
Four types of veggie burgers are going head-to-head (or, should we say, stem-to-stem), critiqued on texture, flavor, and bonus points for packaging with extra pizzazz.
*All veggie burgers were cooked in the oven as a standard.
The contenders:
- Hilary’s
- Dr. Praeger’s Super Greens
- Dr. Praeger’s California blend
- Trader Joe’s Quinoa Cowboy
The breakdown:
Hilary’s:
Taste/Appearance:
Although, branded as “The World’s Best Veggie Burger,” Hilary’s was one of our least favorites. The anemic appearance and bland taste left us unimpressed and uninspired. However, considering it is essentially free of everything (gluten, corn, dairy, egg, soy, and nut) there’s likely a niche consumer out there who loves it. With adequate sauce and toppings, Hilary’s burger can see lots of improvement.
Packaging:
We loved Hilary’s playful packaging and immediately felt drawn to it through its vibrant color and fun use of doodles – though, if you stare at the sun too long…it gets a little creepy. We also noted that the product loses appetite appeal in contrast to the fun, trendy packaging.
Dr. Praeger’s
Supergreens:
Taste/Appearance:
When Dr. Praeger’s says super greens, they mean it. Like the name suggests, this burger was rich with spinach, kale, swiss chard and more, which was honestly a little too green for our tastes. The green assortment and seasoning profile provided a fresh flavor, but it fell apart easily.
California blend:
Taste/Appearance:
After two so-so burgers prior and flagging morale, our hungry team needed to regain hope for the veggie burger. The California blend pleasantly surprised taste buds with its flavor, crunchy texture, and maintaining its patty shape.
Packaging:
Dr. Praeger’s packaging makes you want to eat a veggie burger. They leverage appetite appeal expertly, showcasing the burger prepared and in the hands of a consumer. Their design offers a pleasing visual balance between the product and information. If we were to change one thing, however, it would be the brand name itself…”Dr. Praeger’s” doesn’t leave us craving veg-burgers.
Trader Joe’s Quinoa Cowboy
Taste/Appearance:
Roped in by the southwest flavor, this quinoa blended veggie burger instantly became a team favorite. A crispy breadcrumb outside brought out the flavors of black beans, corn, and red peppers, while keeping shape.
Packaging:
After the brands were revealed, we immediately knew this was a Trader Joe’s brand because of their recognizable, visual-rich, and consistent packaging. But, we briefly second-guessed ourselves, as the Trader Joe’s logo gets lost in the imagery.
The consensus:
Ultimately, we have faith that there ARE really good, delicious, drool-worthy veggie burgers out there, but we’re just not sure that we found them today. The standout favorite among our team was Trader Joe’s Quinoa Cowboy Burger, followed by Dr. Paeger’s California Blend. From there, many of us decided to hold on to our carnivorous identities a little tighter.