Beyond Meat vs Impossible Foods (2026): which vegan burger wins?
Ingredients, nutrition, taste, sustainability — a head-to-head of the two biggest plant-based burgers in 2026.
May 29, 2026 · 5 min read · By VeggieOS Editorial
Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods dominate the plant-based burger aisle. Both are 100% vegan, but they take very different approaches. Here's how they compare in 2026.
Ingredients
Beyond Burger uses pea, mung-bean and rice protein, with coconut oil and beet juice for color. Non-GMO since launch.
Impossible Burger uses soy protein with sunflower and coconut oil. Its "blood" comes from soy leghemoglobin produced by genetically engineered yeast.
Nutrition (per 4 oz patty)
- Beyond: 230 cal • 14g fat • 20g protein • 390mg sodium
- Impossible: 240 cal • 14g fat • 19g protein • 370mg sodium
Taste & texture
Impossible reads "beefier" thanks to heme — better for cheeseburgers. Beyond has a coarser, more rustic bite — better for smash burgers and crumbles in chili or tacos.
Environmental footprint
Both report 90%+ less land use and 75%+ less GHG emissions than beef. Beyond's pea base has a slight water-use edge; Impossible's fermentation is more energy-intensive but scales tightly.
Which should you buy?
- For classic burgers: Impossible.
- For ground-beef swaps (tacos, bolognese, chili): Beyond.
- Non-GMO priority: Beyond.
- Lowest sodium: Impossible (marginally).
Both are vegan — pick the one your taste buds prefer.