Gardein aren’t holding back with this name, “Ultimate!”. The moment I saw that name a couple months back, I’ve been trying hard to secure a box pf these meat free burgers. I am drawn like a moth to the flame to big bold claims. Finally, a local Walmart showed these as in stock and I grabbed some.
The box is big, even my wife remarked on the unusual size. It kinda also promises some big and exciting. Inside you’ll find six frozen patties, each is individually plastic wrapped which I really appreciate. Here are some pictures of the frozen product followed by pan fried and then on a burger:
Probably the best part of these burgers is the crisp finish when pan fried. A pleasing gentle crisp develops without becoming excessive or drying up. From there though things start to go downhill.
The flavor is at best mediocre, the wheat gluten taste being very dominant. The more I tasted, the less I wanted to continue. It’s not bad per se, but it isn’t terribly enjoyable. Wheat gluten is such a powerful flavor. The internal texture is so so; while there is a slight meaty chew, its ultimately too soft overall.
Most disappointing of all is the nutrition of the burger. The 10g of saturated fat is the most of any burger on our list of best meat free burgers; for that huge whack of fat, it’s not just you’d hope for more and better flavor, you demand it. These are not even in the same league as the Impossible or the slightly lesser Beyond Burgers. Ultimate Plant-based burger? Sadly for me, no.
Gardein Ultimate Plant-Based Burger nutrition
Gardein Ultimate Plant-Based Burger cooking instructions
-
Overall
Are Gardein Ultimate Plant-Based Burger any good?
With a name like this, you’d hope the product has something special up it’s sleeve. Sadly for us, it doesn’t. We’re normally big Gardein fans but this misses the mark entirely. There’s an average texture, with poor flavor and really high fat. We’d skip this one for now and hope for a reformulation.
Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you! I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC – Utah’s biggest and oldest online food magazine; I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune. I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV shows.
I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have covered the Utah dining scene for the better part of fifteen years. I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand. I started Shop Smart to catalogue my adventures in the grocery store and kitchen. Follow along on Instagram too!
I enjoyed this burger more than any plant based burger I have eaten especially when I grilled it
Thanks Vivian, Ill keep that in mind should I try them again.