Meat-Free 'Impossible Burger 2.0' Tastes Even Closer to the Real Deal It can also now be used as a main ingredient replacement in any ground meat dish.

By Nicole Lee

This story originally appeared on Engadget

Nicole Lee | Engadget

The Impossible Burger has been making headlines for a couple of years now as a plant-based substitute to burgers that promises to look, taste and even "bleed" like the real deal. Today at CES, Impossible Foods is ready to unveil what is essentially Impossible Burger 2.0. According to the company, the new burger has no gluten and tastes closer to real meat than ever before.

One of the reasons for this is that the new Impossible Burger 2.0 is made with soy protein instead of wheat protein. This, according to the company, gives it a "meaty chew and versatile texture" that'll make it ideal not just as a burger, but also as a main ingredient in any ground meat dish -- think stews, chili, dumplings, meatballs and more. It has as much bioavailable iron and protein as the same size serving of ground beef, with 14 grams of fat and 240 calories per quarter-pound patty.

I've had the original version of the Impossible Burger before, and while it was definitely the best veggie burger I've ever had, I still definitely knew it wasn't real meat. Something about the texture and taste was still a dead giveaway that it was fake. So I was excited to try out Impossible Burger 2.0 to see if it was indeed different.

And it certainly is. I had a chance to have a bite of the new burger at an event here in Las Vegas, and it genuinely did taste like, well, a real burger. It was moist and juicy, and the texture was just right. I couldn't believe that this was supposed to be a plant-based substitute.

The first restaurant to serve the new Impossible Burger 2.0 will be Border Grill at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas starting today. Over 20 or so restaurants will get access to it too, such as Mission Chinese Food in New York City and Jardiniere in San Francisco. Chains like White Castle and Umami Burger will start serving the new recipe soon too. By mid-March, nearly all Impossible Foods restaurant partners will have the new version. The new Impossible Burger 2.0 is also coming to select US grocery stores by the end of the year.

Nicole Lee

Senior Editor for Engadget

Nicole is a Senior Editor at Engadget. She lives in San Francisco .

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Side Hustle

She Quit Her Job at Trader Joe's After Starting a Side Hustle With $800 — Then She and Her Brother Grew the Business to $20 Million

Jaime Holm and Matt Hannula teamed up to build a business in an industry that "didn't exist" yet.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Microsoft Is Laying Off Over 6,000 Employees, About 3% of Its Workforce. Here's Why.

The company said the cuts will affect all divisions and locations, with a focus on managers.

Growing a Business

This Local Bakery Has Lines Out the Door. Here Are the Secrets to Its Success.

Known for its viral flat croissants and innovative desserts, Alexander's Patisserie also excels in hands-on leadership and team culture.

Marketing

Cut Through Digital Noise With These 4 Kinds of Creative Content

When you offer audiences innovative content, you encourage them to engage with your brand. Here are four suggestions for creating unique content that will capture and hold their attention.