Let’s get the obvious elephant in the room dealt with first. These burgers from Kroger are made in the spirit of those from Impossible/Beyond, if not a loving homage to the Beyond Burger itself. Not only do they look very similar in their raw format, the ingredient list reads similarly too (see below). Not that there’s anything wrong with that in our book, initiation being the sincerest form of flattery and all that.
But how do they compare? Well, out of the box they look remarkably similar to the Beyond Burger – right down to the paper backing that you’ll find under each burger in the box. Opened, the aroma of the burgers is fairly similar too.
Cooking the burgers is where differences start to emerge. The burgers ooze notably less grease. Where the Beyond can often end up swimming in a lake of oil when pan cooked, this Simple Truth patty is much drier. Nutritionally they’re actually a little fattier with more saturated fat – but it doesn’t leech out during cooking.
That less greasy element continues into the tasting too. There is a distinctly less greasy/oily mouthfeel with these patties compared to the Beyond. Texturally these are slightly more meaty but still quite close to the Beyond. Taste wise they’re remarkably similar too. If you’ve tasted a Beyond Burger you’ll immediately recognize that pea protein signature taste – it’s far less pronounced here – which means if you’re put off by that, this burger might be a better choice. The burger certainly stands out less prominently when loaded up with a variety of toppings.
I honestly didn’t expect much here. When a store launches it’s own in house product and then goes head to head with a product that’s reputedly invested tens of millions into the space – I’d expect a poor copy. That’s not the case, these Simple Truth plant based burgers are equally as good as Beyond in my mind.
Which is best? Each to their own really. The Beyond offers an oilier, richer mouthfeel with softer texture. The Simple Truth is less greasy, firmer and drier with less pronounced taste. The nutrition is very similar to both, as you can see from the recipe list below, as are the ingredients.
Simple Truth Emerge Plant Based Patties ingredients, nutrition
Other Simple Truth products
- Simple Truth Meatless Kielbasa review
- Simple Truth Emerge Plant Based Patties – a surprisingly good burger
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 was impressed by these. Just purchased the two pack at Ralph’s for $3.74; quite the deal compared to the beyond burger. I also felt they cooked much better due to less oil. I never had plans to repurchase the beyond burger after my first taste test. I can see myself making these Simple Truth Emerge burgers again,and I look forward to more products they release for this line.
This is my first time buying to try this product.
The quite small print of the prep instructions wasn’t an easy find amid all the other crowded-together lines in ALL CAPS..
Then there’s the “DO NOT FREEZE”… When considering purchase of a new product for cooking, I do a quick look at what’s printed on the packaging. I bought it. It wasn’t until I took out the package from, yep, the freezer, to cook that I more carefully read the provided prep info. Then I saw that phrase, “do not freeze.” Too late. How would freezing the patties affect the product’s quality? Seems to me that alert merits being prominently featured on the FRONT of the package.
Please consider improving the prep instructions to be easier to find & to read. The current cramped-together sentences & words in all CAPS small print isn’t very reader friendly. Thank you.
I must admit I hadn’t seen that on the back either Elaine! Just looked at the package above and yep, I can see it really small as well. I’d never recommend going against the manufacturers advice, and I’d say call them first for more info too; but for what it’s worth, I routinely freeze the Beyond Meat burgers, and defrost in the microwave gently before cooking, and they turn out fine. The trick is being very careful in the defrost stage as they can disintegrate if too much heat is used Again, I’d contact Kroger for more advice though.
I always cook them first and then freeze them, wrapped individually in wax paper and put in a zip lock freezer bag. That works fine. To reheat one, I put in the microwave for one minute. Of course I flatten mine out before cooking to make them wider and thinner so you might need a little more than one minute to reheat yours. Maybe 15 more seconds will do, but check it after the first minute. I hope that helps.
Thanks for the tip June!
I’m wondering about the Use By, or Best By, or Expiration Date. The small print says Use Within 3 Days of Opening, but nothing about how long it can stay in your fridge (not freezer, as noted by comments above). It has a little sticker with the date when it was packed, that’s all. Any ideas?
These patties SUCK! Terrible texture. Worst of vegan protein to date. Super dry and spongy.
I think these have a totally different composition now than when you reviewed them. The Simple Truth Emerge burgers I bought today from King Soopers say “New Recipe and Juicy Flavors” and have no pea protein at all. They are Soy Protein Based. I have not tried the previous version but these tasted good.
Thanks for the heads up George. I hadn’t seen the new variety yet, but a quick look at Kroger’s site and I can see the new formulated burgers you mention (as well as the old). I will for sure grab some as soon as I find them at my local store and update the review! Thanks again.
The first time I tried making them into burgers, I thought I put in too many chopped onions. The second time, there is no excuse. Same as before, the patties came off the grill as burnt ground “meat”. No cohesion whatsoever, and maybe salvageable for tacos, but even that is a stretch. I am not buying this product again.