Something big is happening at McDonald’s Canada and we’re not talking about the Big Mac. McDonald’s Canada has officially launched its newest veggie-based sandwich, the McVeggie, nationwide.

More than 10 per cent of Canadians are shifting their eating habits to reflect vegetarian or flexitarian diets, based on a recent Agri-Food Analytics Lab’s Canada’s Food Price 2025 Report, McDonald’s is tapping into this growing change with a sandwich that puts veggies front and centre.

Developed by Chef Jeff Anderson, culinary innovation lead at McDonald’s Canada, this new permanent menu item, alongside the spicy sister sandwich, the Spicy Habanero McVeggie, are the company’s latest foray into a completely veggie-based sandwich.

The McVeggie taste test

As someone who was once plant-based for 7+ years, my expectations of the McVeggie were quite high. For me, anything that aims to recreate meat is a no-go; my ideal sandwich needs to highlight the veggies, and the McVeggie does just that.

The patty itself is made from vegetables like broccoli, carrots, peas, corn, green beans, zucchini, and soy beans, and I loved that I could see each ingredient when biting into it. The flavour was subtle on the palette, with a crunchy breaded patty, layered with shredded lettuce and sandwiched in a soft sesame bun. For the Spicy McVeggie, it has all the fixins of the original, plus a delicious and creamy Habanero sauce for some extra kick. For those who can’t handle the heat, not to worry; the Spicy McVeggie is perfectly balanced, adding the right level of spiciness to your meal.

Overall, the McVeggie and Spicy McVeggie are a welcome inclusion to the McDonald’s menu. Both options give vegetarian and flexitarian foodies an opportunity to eat more plant-based, while also offering a familiar flavour from their favourite quick-service restaurant.

Together with recent additions like Oat Beverage, a Grilled Cheese Happy Meal, and Lettuce and Tomato Happy Meal options, McDonald’s is expanding its menu to give guests more variety and flexibility than ever before.

Get more information on the McVeggie

Behind the development of the McVeggie

After my taste test, I sat down with Chef Anderson to learn more about the inspiration behind the McVeggie and the development process to make it taste so good.

From Chicken Big Mac to now the McVeggie, how has your time developing recipes at McDonald’s informed your direction for the newest menu items?

I’m lucky to be able to develop items that are really grounded in Canadian consumer preferences. From a chef’s perspective, it was a great opportunity for us to let the vegetables be the hero of this recipe. As a global brand, we took some inspiration from menu items around the world, tried them and came to the conclusion that we wanted to lean into a vegetable-forward offering for Canada.

What are the main ingredients in the McVeggie? How does it differ from the previous P.L.T?

We love that the vegetables are visible here. There are green beans, corn, soybeans, carrot pieces, [and] broccoli, sealed in with a crunchy breadcrumb and oat exterior. Creating some contrast highlights textures that we think people would love. The P.L.T was a great test and an opportunity for us to get feedback from Canadians, and we’ve heard from our customers that they want a vegetable-forward item.

How do you think plant-based eaters will respond to these new items?

We’re feeling really encouraged! Results from our spring test were tremendously positive, selling out nearly three weeks ahead of schedule. Guests told us that they loved the taste and flavour of the McVeggie. I think that Canadians will be excited to try new inclusive menu offerings like the Grilled Cheese Happy Meal and Lettuce and Tomato Happy Meal that also launched on September 16. These options join our Oat Beverage, which launched earlier this year.

What inspired the spicy version of the McVeggie?

We wanted to mix things up a bit and give people more choice. The Spicy McVeggie adds another layer to our menu for those who’ve been asking for some more spice and more variety.

Do you have more plans on releasing any other plant-based options in the future?

We’re constantly listening to our guests and evaluating to see where the opportunities are with our menu. With the launch of the McVeggie, we’re excited to hear from guests what they think. From their feedback, we’ll gauge success and go from there. ** Ready to try the McVeggie for yourself? Find a McDonald’s near you.**