The famous Impossible Burger, a vegan burger that claims to mimic the flavor, aroma and even nutrition of traditional burger patties, is now available at the hilltop. Students can order the burger at South Congress Market dining hall every Monday through Thursday during dinner service.  

If this is the first time you’ve heard about the Impossible Burger, here’s what you need to know: the burger is made with carefully selected ingredients that help capture the essence of the meat. These ingredients include coconut oil for fat and juiciness, potato protein for a crispy surface, gluten as a source of protein and heme– the stellar ingredient that gives the burger its meaty umami flavor. Heme is an iron-containing molecule found in all living organisms.

Impossible Foods, the company that developed the patty, uses yeast to grow soy leghemoglobin, which is identical to the heme molecule found in meat. The burger is currently only available at select restaurants and university dining halls.  

As a vegan, I was excited to try the burger on campus. The first thing I noticed was that, compared to the other veggie burgers, the Impossible burger was cooked fairly quickly. I expected the familiar scenario of waiting between seven to 10 minutes for our burgers to be done. I was pleasantly surprised that it was not the case this time.

On campus, the Impossible Burger costs $10. Compared to the other burgers, especially the veggie patties, the price is a bit steep. However, it’s probably the cheapest way to try the burger in the city. Restaurant burgers featuring the patty range from $12 to $17.

The cooks at Ragsdale cooked my burger perfectly, unlike other restaurants that tend to overcook the patty. It had a nice seared top and was incredibly juicy. Student Karolina Bonilla, a vegetarian trying the burger for the first time, was amazed that it seemed to “bleed” like a real burger.

I ordered the burger with mushrooms and recommend other students do the same. If mushrooms are not your thing, South Congress Market also offers caramelized onions and roasted bell peppers.

I was disappointed that there is no vegan cheese or eggless mayo available, but it is still refreshing to find a new veggie option on campus since they are quite sparse.

The Impossible Burger is usually marketed to those who consume meat and animal products, claiming that it can fool a die-hard carnivore.

Student Grace Ramadan, a meat-eater, said that the burger was very meaty but did not taste exactly like meat. Despite not being fooled by the Impossible Burger, Ramadan said she really enjoyed it.

“I could definitely see myself ordering this is in the future,” Ramadan said.

What’s not to love about the Impossible Burger? It’s tasty, sustainable and nutritious. If you want the planet as we know it to last more than 12 years, and save some cows, make this your go-to meatless Monday treat.