Is a schnitzel still a schnitzel if you take the meat away from it? Can soy beans, peas and wheat be used to recreate meat as realistically as possible? Stiftung Warentest tested 18 vegetarian alternatives to find out whether the veggie schnitzel really tasted like the meaty original.
The testers got 18 products on their plates. Some of them from the refrigerated section, others frozen. They also tasted two vegetarian cordon bleus. The result is disappointing, so you can safely leave the majority in the supermarket. Only seven are “good”. But that’s not due to the taste. After all, according to the product test, every third veggie schnitzel actually tastes almost like the meaty original.
Plant-based alternatives have a good reputation. They are considered healthy and climate-friendly. But it’s not that simple. A study by the Federal Environment Agency shows that the production of chicken meat, for example, releases around two-thirds more harmful greenhouse gases than the production of meat substitutes from soy. However, when it comes to nutritional values, veggie products often cannot keep up. “Veggies often bring more fat and calories than meat cutlets,” says Warentest.
But it was something else that spoiled the appetite of the testers: pollution. Four products attracted particularly negative attention. The losers in the test included the Chickin Fillets Bio from Viana and the Veggies from Vantastic Food. According to the product test, both vegetable schnitzels are just “sufficient”.
Rügenwalder, on the other hand, is a model student. The company has been expanding its portfolio of plant-based alternatives for years. In 2022, the company even sold more vegetarian than meat for the first time. In the test, Rügenwalder came out on top with two products, both the schnitzel (1.83 euros) and the cordon bleu (1.65 euros) were convincing. But discounters are also increasingly offering plant-based alternatives. Aldi’s “Mein veggie Tag” schnitzel doesn’t have to hide from the competition. It is also “good” and can be had for as little as 1.20 euros.
