Vegans, start the countdown — in about six weeks, McDonald’s Israel will roll out the hamburger of your dreams.
Yes, the rumors are true. The largest fast food chain in Israel is introducing the Big Vegan, a new product made of wheat and soybeans. McDonald’s has yet to reveal the price, and of course there is a caveat: The vegan burger will only be available at select Tel Aviv branches. But if the meatless hamburger is a success, it’ll most likely be offered throughout Israel in the future.
Developed by Swiss food manufacturer Nestle, Big Vegan is currently available at select McDonald’s locations throughout Europe. Israel is just the latest country to welcome the meatless wonder.
Being the vegan capital of the world, it’s not surprising Tel Aviv was added to the list. With 400 vegan and vegan-friendly grub spots throughout the city, as the Independent reports, maintaining a meatless and dairy-free diet couldn’t be easier. Notably, McDonald’s Israel tried rolling out the vegan McFalafel in 2011, but it didn’t fare well (though the fast-food chain recently brought back the chickpea snack, this time to Sweden).
McDonald’s Israel’s vegan burger is part of a bigger trend of meaty food favorites going vegetarian and vegan. We’ve seen this a lot in the Jewish world, too, where delis are catering to folks looking for healthier options. If that means more options like vegan lox, and substituting mushrooms and tempeh for corned beef, we’re so here for it.
As we’ve written before, the push to go vegan isn’t always for dietary reasons alone. Jeffrey Spitz Cohan, executive director of Jewish Veg, believes it can also be biblically charged, saying, “There are also ethical considerations, as the production of meat and products almost always involve egregious violations of the Torah.”
Looking for vegan options you can make at home? Try our cabbage schnitzel, or if this article gave you a hankering for burgers, take this sweet potato quinoa burger for a spin.
