I’m a former meat-eater who’s always been skeptical of plant-based ‘meat.’ But after trying meatless burgers from 3 fast-food chains, I’ve changed my mind.

• Plant-based meat alternatives are conquering fast-food and casual-dining markets.
• Burger King, White Castle, and Carl’s Jr. are getting in on the meat-substitute craze with their own versions of plant-based burgers.
• Burger King and White Castle both offer renditions of the Impossible burger, while Carl’s Jr. uses Beyond Meat patties.
• As a non-meat-eater, I decided to try all the plant-based fast-food burgers I could get my hands on in New York.
• I used to eat real meat and never thought the plant-based stuff could ever compare to the real thing. But after trying these fast-food options, I know how wrong I was.
• I found that Carl’s Jr.’s Beyond Famous Star burger was the best – though not the meatiest-tasting – of the plant-based fast-food burgers I tried, with the options from White Castle and Burger King not far behind.
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First, I went to a White Castle in Brooklyn, New York, to try the Impossible slider.

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The slider was only $1.99, and it came in this cute little box.

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This slider may be small, but it packs a lot of flavors. It comes with smoked cheese, caramelized onions, and a pickle slice …

Source: White Castle

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… and, of course, the Impossible patty, which is made from soy protein, potato protein, coconut oil, and sunflower oil.

Source: White Castle

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One bite in and one word came to mind: steak. This slider smells and tastes exactly like a meaty steak.

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And believe it or not, that’s because of the sunflower oil. The sunflower oil has heme in it, which is a molecule that contains iron and gives this slider a meaty flavor.

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Plus, the caramelized onions, smoked cheddar, pickle, and warm toasty bun complemented the patty well.

Source: White Castle

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Next, I hit the Carl’s Jr. in Brooklyn, New York, to try its Beyond Famous Star cheeseburger.

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Carl’s Jr.’s Beyond Famous Star with cheese was $7.49, quite a bit more than White Castle’s slider.

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But this burger was also much bigger and worth every penny.

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It came with all the standard burger fixings: lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, and mayonnaise.

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The patty is made mostly of pea protein, rice protein, mung bean protein, and beet juice extract for that meaty color.

Source: Carl’s Jr.

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One bite in and it was clear that this burger did not taste nearly as meaty as White Castle's Impossible slider ...

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... but I liked it better. While the meat flavor wasn't as strong, the texture was more like a beef burger. It was juicy and buttery and felt fresh off the grill, which gave it an edge over the slider.

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Lastly, I went to a Burger King in downtown Manhattan, across the river from Brooklyn, to try the Impossible Whopper.

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The Impossible Whopper was $7.29, a comparable price to Carl's Jr.'s burger.

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And it was easily the biggest of the three burgers.

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Inside the sesame buns, the burger held lettuce, tomato, onions, ketchup, and mayonnaise.

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Like the Impossible slider at White Castle, the Impossible Whopper is made up of mostly soy protein, potato protein, coconut oil, sunflower oil, and heme.

Source: Impossible Foods

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There was no doubt that the Impossible Whopper looked the best.

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It looked more like a beef burger than any of its counterparts, and the bun kept the ingredients from spilling out.

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But after taking a bite, I was underwhelmed.

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While the Impossible slider tasted more like meat, and the Beyond Famous Star felt more like meat ...

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... the Impossible Whopper neither tasted nor felt particularly meaty, landing it in last place.

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But ultimately, I was impressed by how much all three burgers resembled beef. Each one was enjoyable, and as a non-meat-eater who was once skeptical of plant-based burgers, I would definitely eat any of these burgers again.