By now, you've probably heard of the bleeding, eerily realistic Beyond Meat Burger. But if you're not into burgers, or looking for a little variety at your next BBQ, you're in luck. Beyond Meat has recently released a Beyond Sausage.
The Details
The Beyond Meat Sausage is, according to their website, "the world's first plant-based sausage that looks, sizzles, and satisfies like pork."
Available in three varieties (Original, Hot Italian, and Sweet Italian), the meat-made-from plant alternatives contains 16 grams of protein (more than most typical pork sausages), and is soy, gluten, and GMO-free.
At 190 calories and 12 grams of fat, the Beyond Meat Sausage offers a slightly less calorically-dense alternative to typical pork sausages.
The sausage also boasts a plant-based casing made from algae to offer eaters a realistic, meaty experience.
Where To Get It
The Beyond Meat Sausage is currently only available at the Beyond Meat Burger Bar tucked inside the Pearl Street Whole Foods in Boulder, CO, the starting point of the now ubiquitous Beyond Meat Beyond Burger.
Although this product is limited in availability at present, one can hope that this product will be more widely-available soon.
What It Tastes Like
While traveling, I had the opportunity to stop at the Whole Foods in Boulder. My sister's husband ordered the Beyond Meat Hot Italian Sausage, and we all gave it a whirl.
It came topped with onions and peppers and we added some mustard and ketchup, of course. On the side, there were these really interesting cubic quinoa tots.
My sister's husband (vegan of slightly less than a year, vegetarian of over a year) really enjoyed the sausage, and called it "next level." My sister (not vegan, but a vegetarian eater most of the time) also enjoyed the sausage.
They both remarked that the sausage was similar to a real pork one, and that you could easily fool someone into thinking it was meat, especially if the sausage was dressed up.
Next, I took a bite. Honestly, I was a bit nervous and apprehensive. As a vegan of nearly four years and vegetarian of over 18, I had a really hard time with the Beyond Meat Burger. The burger was SO meaty that it freaked me out and sort of disgusted me, though I think it's excellent for burger lovers who want a plant-based alternative.
To my surprise and delight, I actually really enjoyed the sausage. It was a bit less greasy and more flavorful than the burger (granted, we got Hot Italian), and with the fluffy bun, spices, and fixins, I liked it much more than I had originally anticipated.
So overall, the Beyond Meat Sausage was a win, and I would definitely eat it again. I look forward to the day that these are more accessible for carnivores and omnivores alike.
PS: In case you're wondering, the quinoa tots were strangely delicious. They tasted oddly like bite-sized onion ring cubes.