ELEVEN YEARS AGO, Barack Obama was president, The Avengers was the highest-grossing movie of the year, and a little company called Beyond Meat launched its first plant-based protein product. (Chicken strips, surprisingly, not its burger.)
Then came Impossible Foods in 2016 with a “meat”patty, and the plant-based-burger wars were on. And all the attention they garnered started to shift people’s attitude from “A veggie burger?” to “I have to try that.” Sales took off—from 2018 right up until early in the pandemic.
But today, as the shiny-newness of beef like patties seems to have faded and inflation has increased their price, customers who pick up plant-based meat every now and then might be looking for other options.
Which is exactly what’s happening right now.
Food manufacturers are expanding their offerings beyond just burgers. Some forecasts predict the global demand for plant-based beef, chicken, fish, and pork will increase by nearly 15 percent by 2027.
You might be wondering two things: Is any of this stuff actually healthy? And is it any good?
On the first: “Back in the day, a veggie patty was lentils, grains, and vegetables smashed together with maybe some seeds to bind it all,” says Ryan D. Andrews, R.D., an assistant professor in the School of Health Sciences at Regis College.
In other words, healthful real food. But many modern plant-based proteins are heavily processed, says Andrews. That’s not to say there’s anything nutritionally evil about them. Yes, some don’t offer all that much in the way of nutrients, and some are loaded with added sugar, but if you’re eating them occasionally as part of a meal rich in whole, unprocessed foods, you’re doing just fine.
And to answer the second question, I set out on a massive culinary quest to sample as many of these “next wave” plant-based proteins as I could. Of the 25 taste-tested, here are the 16 that stood out in terms of flavor and overall good-for-you nutrition.
Unlike plant-based options that rely on peas or soy, Quorn is made from 93 percent mycoprotein, derived from fungi. “The gentle agitation of the fungi as it grows through fermentation allows it to form into long strands,” says Stephen Kalil, Quorn Foods’ executive chef.
ChiQin pieces have a subtle herbal flavor and taste good in everything from soup to cold chicken salad to tacos. Per cup, they deliver 17 grams of protein—about half that of chicken—with six grams of fiber and about 100 fewer calories than the real deal. Try it tossed into a quick vegetable-and-noodle stir-fry with peanut or soy sauce.
The Runners-Up
Gardein Teriyaki Chick’n Strips
These soy-based strips sauteed crispy, with a neutral flavor that, while a bit salty, soaked up the sweet teriyaki sauce. Though it has more protein per five-ounce serving than our winner, the Gardein has a bunch more carbs from sugar when you factor in the sauce.
Field Roast Buffalo Wings
Thanks to vital wheat gluten, these oblong “wings” have the moistness and chew of the real thing. And anything covered in Buffalo sauce tastes amazing. Seven of them, sauced, have 11 grams of protein, 25 grams of carbs, and 360 calories.
MorningStar Farms Veggie Buffalo Chik Patties
These soy-based patties taste like one big Wendy’s spicy chicken nugget. Riding inside a potato roll with some mayo and pickles, this makes a fine stand-in. Nutrition-wise, they’re even comparable to real chicken patties.
Pea protein, tomato, and a whole host of spices (cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder) give these crumbles a powerful flavor. They char in a pan like real chorizo, too.
“We weren’t concerned with making a product that bleeds or has the metallic taste of red meat,” says Kerry Song, CEO of Abbot’s Butcher. “We focused on the umami, the bright chiles, the smoky heat.” A half cup has 15 grams of protein and only 140 calories. Tryit tucked into tacos with avocado, red cabbage, crema, and lime juice.
The Runners-Up
Future Sausage by Future Farm
The casings are made from plant-based polysaccharides, extracted from red algae. The pink interior comes from beet powder. And the links themselves are salty, juicy, and a little garlicky. One link has 15 grams of protein.
Renegade Foods Plant-Based Salami Sampler
The vital-wheat-gluten-based salamis in this three-pack of slice-and-serve charcuterie are awesome. You feel as if you’re snacking on rounds of meat. There is a solid amount of protein, too—19 grams per two ounces of the soppressata.
OmniFoods OmniPork Ground
This crumbled soy option has about half of real pork’s protein but about a third of the calories—so it’s great in meals featuring another protein. It works best in black-bean tacos or lentil soup or meatballs, for example.
They cook, look, and taste pretty much like real shrimp. “Ingredients like konjac root are key in the way to achieve that recognizable bounce,” says Monica Talbert, CEO of Plant Based Seafood Co. The nutrition is so-so. “This does have three grams of fiber, but only four grams of protein,” says Men’s Health advisor Brian St. Pierre, R.D. So combine them with other protein-rich ingredients.
The Runners-Up
Good Catch New England Style Crab Cakes
These use a protein blend, including soy, chickpeas, lentils, and navy beans, so the flavor is pleasingly complex, needing just a squeeze of lemon to brighten things up. They have 20 grams of protein—the same as a five-ounce can of tuna.
Sophie’s Kitchen Spicy Salmon Burgers
Cook this pea-protein burger about eight minutes, pop it on a bun with onions, lettuce, and mayo, and marvel at how the “meat” and all get along. Each patty has 17 grams of protein.
Unmeat Tuna
Mixed with mayo, onion, salt, and pepper, this stuff has a flavor that’s neutral when eaten straight up. (The water can make bread soggy.) There are 18 grams of protein per can, a little less than real tuna has, but with half as many calories.
Not only is this steak incredibly savory, but it satisfies. That’s because the palm-sized patty is made of jackfruit, a meaty and neutral tasting tropical fruit. Seasoned with dried shiitake and porcini powders, the steaks are loaded with umami. Just one has a massive 40 grams of protein, 320 calories, and not one gram of added sugar.
The Runners-Up
Nasoya Plant-spired Steak, Korean BBQ
This brand takes a galbi marinade—pear puree, onion, garlic, soy sauce— and swaps the short ribs for soybean-protein-based “beef.” One serving has 14 grams of protein, five grams of fiber, and 200 calories.
Field Roast Smoked Tomato Deli Slices
No lie, this “lunch meat” tastes pretty close to roast beef, especially slathered with mustard
on a good roll. The ingredient list features lentils, garlic, tomato paste, spices, and natural smoke flavor. Three slices contain 15 grams of protein.
Beyond Meatballs, Italian Style
These protein orbs have an ingredient list similar to that of Beyond ground beef, but they somehow work better in ball form. Five meatballs provide 19 grams of protein.
A version of this article originally appeared in the March 2023 issue of Men’s Health.
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