Impossible Burger with Cheese Crisp and Fried Egg

The day has finally come! You can now buy Impossible Burger in grocery stores (or also available for delivery)! It's been a long time coming for fans of the Impossible "meat" (like me).

For those of you who may not be as familiar, the two most popular alternative meat brands out there are Impossible and Beyond. Beyond has been available for consumers for awhile now. I can easily find this in most local markets (e.g. Whole Foods, Safeway, etc.). However, Impossible used to only sell directly to specific restaurants. The only way I could get my fix of Impossible was going to places like Gott's Roadside. While Beyond is tasty in its own way, Impossible is definitely my preferred brand. This is simply because it mimics the taste of beef the best.

Now, as a carnivore, I know it seems odd to prefer Impossible ("fake meat") over the real deal. I honestly cannot explain it beyond re-emphasizing that I just love the taste. I'm also convinced that some meat lovers may not be able to tell it's a meat alternative after the first few bites.

With all of that said, balance is the key. Like most alternative meats, there are always some downsides. In this case, Impossible does have high saturated fat content and it is high in sodium. I personally use it as a sub for meat every so often to help decrease my intake of meat overall.

To treat myself this Labor Day weekend, I made an Impossible Burger at home using some of my favorite burger ingredients. You can definitely just form patties as they are, or you can add a few spices like I did below. Hope you enjoy!

Impossible Burger with Cheese Crisp and Fried Egg​

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Servings: 3

Burger Ingredients:

• 1 pack ground Impossible burger (12 oz)

• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 3 tsp Parmesan cheese

• 1/8 tsp black pepper

• 1/8 tsp garlic powder

• 1/8 tsp paprika

Other Ingredients:

*feel free to add or substitute for other toppings you enjoy

• Olive oil

• 3 tbsp shredded or grated cheese

• ​Note: Parmesan is most common, but I used Mexican blend

• 3 eggs

• 3 hamburger buns

• 3 butter lettuce leaves

• Ketchup/mayo mixed sauce

• Optional: Everything Seasoning (for garnish)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place parchment paper over baking tray. Add 3 piles of cheese over parchment paper (about 1 tbsp per pile). Flatten each pile and make sure the flattened cheeses are not touching. Set aside.

• In the meantime, place Impossible meat in a medium to large bowl. Add all burger ingredients to the bowl and mix evenly together. Separate ground meat into 3. Mold each into a patty shape for burgers, then set aside.

• In a large pan, heat up about 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add patties to the pan. Cook each side for about 3-4 minutes or until bottoms are browned and slightly charred. Flip and repeat. Transfer to plate and set aside.

• Once oven is preheated, add baking tray with cheeses. Bake for about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

• Important: It helps to watch as this part can be tricky! You want the cheese to turn into a dark yellow color. Once you remove from the oven, cheese crisps should easily peel off the parchment paper. It should be crispy like a potato chip. If it is too soft, you may need to bake for a little longer -- but do not burn them!

• In a separate nonstick pan, add about 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Crack an egg and fry until yolk is to desired texture. Repeat for the remaining 2 eggs.

• Note: ​In-between waiting for your eggs to fry, you can toast your buns (by toaster oven or by pan).

• Once you have all of your ingredients, it's time to assemble your burger! Add ketchup/mayo sauce to your bun. Then layer with your Impossible patty, lettuce, cheese crisp, and fried egg. Garnish with Everything Seasoning. Then add the top bun (or eat it as an "open face" burger like I prefer it). Enjoy!