EV’s Take: Impossible’s Nearly Perfect Plant-Based Ground Beef
Have you wanted to try Impossible Ground Beef? Read our review to see how it compares before you buy!
If I had tried Impossible Ground Beef during my vegan teen years, I would have triumphantly announced that they had done the impossible and that no more exploration was needed for vegan ground beef. Their meat-free ground beef looks like ground beef, cooks like ground beef, and (mostly) tastes like ground beef. That’s all. We’re done. Let’s go home.
But it’s not 2007, and in 2024–with so many other competitors on the market–this feat seems much less impressive. With mushroom meat, pea protein, soy protein, jackfruit, and dehydrated ground beef crumbles…the possibilities now seem endless, and it’s as if the world of plant-based options opened up to a vast universe waiting to be pioneered to its fullest. In that way, I think the bar is much higher for these companies to continue adapting and evolving their products for the modern plant-based palate.
That said, despite all the competition and innovation in the world of plant-based products, Impossible’s soy-based plant-based ground beef is really, really good. While I may be a harsher critic now than I would have been 17 years ago, I still think Impossible makes delicious plant-based products. Their plant-based ground beef is no exception because it cooks up beautifully, tastes (mostly) really good, and makes swapping out meat for plant-based alternatives a breeze.
My only complaint is that the beef stuck a little to the skillet, but that could have easily been an issue with my skillet. I read other threads where people experience the same issue, but I don’t think this warranted a dent in the grade.
Impossible Ground Beef Ingredients
If you worry about complex ingredient lists, Impossible Ground Beef may seem like a no-go at first glance. Compared to, say, Gardein’s and Abbot’s Butcher’s short, easy-to-pronounce ingredient labels, Impossible seems like an overly processed, chemical nightmare.
First, I’ll give you the ingredient list straight from Impossible’s website:
Water, Soy Protein Concentrate, Sunflower Oil, Coconut Oil, Natural Flavors, 2% Or Less Of: Methylcellulose, Cultured Dextrose, Food Starch Modified, Yeast Extract, Soy Leghemoglobin, Salt, Mixed Tocopherols (Antioxidant), L-Tryptophan, Soy Protein Isolate, Vitamins and Minerals (Zinc Gluconate, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Thiamine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12). Product contains an allium derivative.
What I love about the Impossible site is that they break down the function of the ingredients. Let’s dig in.
Protein
Soy is their primary protein source, and they use soy protein concentrate in all their ground beef products.
Flavor
Yeast extract is used to give their ground beef a savory flavor.
Fat
Sunflower and coconut oil add a healthy amount of plant-based fat to Impossible’s ground beef. You’ll even notice flecks of hardened coconut fat in the beef, which melt as it sizzles in the skillet.
Binder
Methylcellulose is a culinary binder in many delicious treats, including ice cream and jams. Food starch, a plant-based additive often derived from potatoes, corn, or wheat, stabilizes or improves the texture of whatever it is added to.
The remaining ingredients are a combination of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and natural flavoring.
Impossible Ground Beef nutrition
| Serving Size | 4 ounces |
| Calories | 230 |
| Total Fat | 13g |
| Saturated Fat | 7g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 370mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 9g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5g |
| Total Sugars | <1g |
| Protein | 19g |
How did EV eat Impossible Ground Beef?
I made a delicious Impossible Ground Beef Ramen Stir Fry! I load up noodle night with Impossible Ground beef, plenty of veggies, and bouncy ramen noodles.
Want to make it? My recipe is below!
Vegan Ground Beef Noodle Stir Fry
Equipment
Ingredients
Sauce:
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 teaspoons white miso
- 1 teaspoon roasted sesame paste or use sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
Stir fry:
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 12 ounces Impossible Ground Beef
- 1 yellow onion peeled and sliced
- 1 red bell pepper trimmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 12 ounces frozen edamame
- 8 ounces green cabbage thinly sliced; or use Napa cabbage
For serving:
- 8 ounces dry ramen noodles or use your favorite noodle
- 2 scallions minced
Instructions
Prepare the sauce:
- Whisk together the sauce until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference. It will seem salty, but this will mellow out once combined with all the ingredients.
Cook the noodles:
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
Cook the chicken:
- As you wait for the water to boil, cook the Impossible Ground Beef. Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Impossible Ground Beef and season lightly with salt. Cook for 12–15 minutes until completely cooked. Transfer to a bowl.
Cook the vegetables:
- Add the onion and red bell pepper to the skillet and cook until translucent. Sauté for 6–7 minutes.
- Add the frozen edamame. Cook, breaking up the frozen pieces, for 5–6 minutes until the edamame is bright green.
- Add the sliced cabbage. Return the Impossible Ground Beef to the skillet and pour the sauce on top. Bring to a boil and toss to coat. Cook for 3–5 minutes until the cabbage is wilted.
Finish the noodle stir fry:
- Add the noodles to the skillet and toss to coat for 1–2 minutes to warm them up. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
- Transfer the noodles to a large serving bowl. Serve with minced scallions on top. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Ok, now you’ve sold me! Where can I buy Impossible Ground Beef?
You can buy Impossible Ground Beef in many major retailers and on Amazon. Visit their store locator to find a retailer near you.
What do you think?
Have you tried Impossible Ground Beef? Love it or hate it? Tell us in the comments!
