Both dishes seem delicious and tasty, great job! As an Italian lasagne lover I'll give you a tip: you actually don't need ricotta to make a lasagna, bc the "white sauce" in the original recipe is bechamel, which is really easier to veganize than ricotta, and a lot cheaper too!
I always use Vegab Butter, Flour, Plantmilk an Spices. Und Nutritional Yeast, for Cheesy Flavor. It even gets nice brown on top. In the last few minutes, I put roasted Breadcrumbs with Nooch on top - tastes nearly like Parmesan..
Tip from an italian family to make a GOOD but still not overly expensive lasagna: make (vegan) bechamel sauce at home (the more the better) make the 'meat sauce' with a lot of (quality) tomato sauce and probably not as much 'meat' as you think it needs. (Suggested meat substitutes: mushrooms and ground walnuts, vegan ground or dried TSP --> choose what you or your guest likes best). Before assembling cook the pasta in boiling water for 2 minutes, this will prevent it from absorbing all the sauce while in the oven. A good lasagna is a soft lasagna drowning in sauce. If you use the grill function for a few minutes the upper part of your lasagna should become crispy even if you don't use any cheese. Good luck!
I love this challenge! It shows veganism can be as cheap or as expensive as you make it. Merle showed out with the Impossible and I love that Rachel called her out on it. LOL!! Work that $54.
Bridget Cotter take the wine out than and the ingredients are still fairly cheap. You literally got two cheap lasagna recipes (minus the wine) but sure, nothing “helpful”. Way to be positive 👍🏼
@@cotterbridget2020 She didn’t use the entire bottle lol. They measure the price by how much of the product they actually use. But, if you think that was the only difference, you must have zoned out during most of the video.
SAME!! I don't think I've ever seen a chef on tv or even YT do it. Immediately endeared her to me. It's an impulse for me anytime I spill salt, my whole fam does it.
Actually Italian lasagne doesn't call for ricotta! Just make bechamel with unsweetened soy milk and flour, it will be cheaper and tastier!! If you're feeling fancy add a bit of nutritional yeast haha As for a cheap meat substitute, I think lentils would be the winner, as they don't shrink like mushrooms! Just make sure to season them well😋
@@smudge8882 Hey Mudge,when it comes to lasagne I like to add to the tomato sauce with lentils seasonings like black pepper, oregano, a tablespoon of soy sauce for umami flavour, garlic, a tiny bit of rosemary or thyme, sometimes red wine... Mainly Mediterranean flavours :)
All the lasagna "purists" can go sit down. Nearly every single region of Italy has their own different version of lasanga and there isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to make "Lasagna" in general.
THIS DUO SHOULD DO MORE VIDS TOGETHER!!!!! As for recipes I'd like to see you do, how about a vindaloo (most are vegan IIRC) or maybe a hearty vegetable stew with summer or winter veggies?
Lmao southy didn’t you just comment to someone talking about fresh tomatoes to “mind your own business” and here you are not noticing aria was male and being a snoop =/ I mean that’s a good question but you’re being a huge hypocrite
Wow! I love this video. Great energy from everyone and I definitely am interested in making the $14 lasagna! (sorry Merle! I’m broke! no cashews for Katie). This is my favorite content from my favorite creators- keep up the GREAT WORK! ❤️
I have been living for all of Goodful's vegan content!! I remember when Tasty Vegetarian launched and it was a huge thing, but plant based is truly different. Keep it up :))
10:39 "I would make a love child out of these two lasagnas". I would LOVE to see that! It would be interesting to see how much a pan of that would be comparatively.
I would too. I can let go of the meat, I made a pretty good mushroom "meat sauce" the other day. I might use something that's not tofu for cheese though.
I'll definitely try the cheaper one, where I live it's not easy or cheap to find vegan meat. But also as a vegan I don't really like to make my food resemble real meat or cheese but I know some people really miss that.
Both look delicious! Little tip: mix in olive oil yourself AFTER you blend all the other ingredients for the cashew ricotta cheese because olive oil has a bitter compound which are separated from the oils in a blender or a food processor, making the whole thing taste a bit bitter
i love these two together. and i agree, we need to give rachel a show where she recreates things on a tight budget. vegan cheesecake on a budget? vegan thanksgiving on a budget? vegan bbq on a budget? just throwing some ideas i think she'd be great at it. love her attitude towards saving money
I love this. Felt like just 7 years ago when I went vegan it was quite hard to find recipes that were cheap. Always bought the pre-made stuff. Not very cheap most of the time. All of these cheap recipes are a lifesaver when I'm low on cash for some months! Everything cruel-free and healthy! Just need to convince my girlfriend. Love cooking though, so she'll join us, vegans, one day!
Maybe try a bechamel sauce instead of the tofu ricotta. It's just oil, flour, whatever alternative milk you want, and seasoning, might bind it better and make it richer without the vegan cheese.
Cybercraft sorry, a little late. I didn't use their recipe but I did use one with tofu ricotta. In the oven now. Sounds good though and thanks for the suggestion. The tofu ricotta will be really good too though I'm sure. 😋
Hi! Good ideas, they all look amazing... But if you want to try a cheeper recipe (more similar to the Italian one 😉) you can: - prepare a lentil ragú (fry the onion in a pan with olive oil, add lentils with fresh rosemary and laurel leaves if you like, stir for 3-5 minutes, then add tomatoe sauce. Boil slowly for 30 minutes to some hours if you want more tasty) - prepare vegan besciamella sauce (500 ml of rice milk, 40 ml of olive oil, 40 g of whole grain flour, salt pepper and nutmeg. Here the method www.vegolosi.it/ricette-vegane/besciamella-vegan/. It's in italian, sorry, but you have to add oil and flour stirring constantly. Then add the milk,and continue stirring until boiling and after until the besciamella it's creamy. Then flavour with the spices) - assemble the lasagna in the classic method. If you want a more cheesy flavour you can add in any layer a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. - in the top of lasagna sprinkle with fake parmesan cheese prepared blending nutritional yeast with almond or cashews. Or only nutritional yeast. Easy, cheep and delicious 😉
What about chili cheese fries? Or even better, carne asada fries. CCF is just the chili, cheese and fries. CAF is so much more. Carne asada, cheese, sour cream, guac, salsa, mmm!!
I'd love to see Merle try to recreate the farmer's lasagna from Sage Vegan Bistro (LA vegan spot). I'm not even vegan or vegetarian and it's the BEST lasagna I've ever had!
@Southy why should I mind my own business. This a public video on a public forum with open commenting. I am stating a fact. Fresh tomatoes are cheaper. You can make a big pot of sauce and store it in the freezer.
Where i live (Uk) canned chopped tomatoes is cheaper. From lidl a can is 35p but a tray box of tomatoes is about 50p to £1. Just go for the chopped tomatoes, you don’t need a food processor then either.
the best lasagne i make are SO cheap cause all you need is bechamel sauce (milk, butter/oil and flour), and i make traditional italian ragù using lentils instead of the meat and it's absolutely deliciuos and also really easy to make. (i also add some grated cheese cause im vegetarian)
I dont know if you guys have this in the US but in Europe you can occasionally find dried tofu bits which can take on the role of minced meat after you soak and season them. Edit: lasagna noodles actually don’t need pre cooking because they absorb humidity from the sauces unless the noodles you find in the US are wildly different from the ones in EU.
You can make a beschamel sauce with nutritional yeast and garlic for the topping. It will also brown up. Also Impossible Meat is totally GMO whereas Beyond Meat is very meaty and NOT genetically modified frankin food.
Realistically tho both budgets will be higher as you can't only buy the quantities of what you need , you'll usually need to buy a whole tofu block, jar of spice etc You can't just go and buy spices by the spoon etc
Both dishes seem delicious and tasty, great job! As an Italian lasagne lover I'll give you a tip: you actually don't need ricotta to make a lasagna, bc the "white sauce" in the original recipe is bechamel, which is really easier to veganize than ricotta, and a lot cheaper too!
And it tastes just as delicous! :)
what would you put in a vegan bechamel?
@@marcya4428 it's just flour butter and milk I'm guessing can just be substituted with margarine and almond milk or something
I always use Vegab Butter, Flour, Plantmilk an Spices. Und Nutritional Yeast, for Cheesy Flavor.
It even gets nice brown on top.
In the last few minutes, I put roasted Breadcrumbs with Nooch on top - tastes nearly like Parmesan..
Yeah I was thinking that! I’ve never had ricotta in my lasagne. Lasagne is my cheap meal that I make when I’m lazy and need food for the week 😅
Rachel needs to host a “vegan on a budget” show. Or write a cookbook. She’s so good at being frugal!
Yessss
How do u buy 13 cents worth of garlic :|
Lunar Wolf you sneak a clove in with your onions
I would buy her cookbook, seriously
I’m uee
Tip from an italian family to make a GOOD but still not overly expensive lasagna:
make (vegan) bechamel sauce at home (the more the better)
make the 'meat sauce' with a lot of (quality) tomato sauce and probably not as much 'meat' as you think it needs.
(Suggested meat substitutes: mushrooms and ground walnuts, vegan ground or dried TSP --> choose what you or your guest likes best).
Before assembling cook the pasta in boiling water for 2 minutes, this will prevent it from absorbing all the sauce while in the oven.
A good lasagna is a soft lasagna drowning in sauce.
If you use the grill function for a few minutes the upper part of your lasagna should become crispy even if you don't use any cheese.
Good luck!
Thank you why no one cook the damn noodles😑😑😑😑😑😑 I thought I was the only one
Thank you!
Thank you a lot! Im french and I didn’t understand what TSP was😅 can you explain please?
i was a little shook when i saw them making ricotta. never seen anyone make lasagna without bechamel sauce
Sali TSP is textured vegetable protein. It looks a little like dehydrated ground beef but it contains no animal. I like the Bobs Red Mill brand.
I love this challenge! It shows veganism can be as cheap or as expensive as you make it. Merle showed out with the Impossible and I love that Rachel called her out on it. LOL!! Work that $54.
This video literally showed nothing helpful. She used a $30 bottle of wine. Really the difference in their budget at that point was almost nothing.
Bridget Cotter take the wine out than and the ingredients are still fairly cheap. You literally got two cheap lasagna recipes (minus the wine) but sure, nothing “helpful”. Way to be positive 👍🏼
@@cotterbridget2020 She didn’t use the entire bottle lol. They measure the price by how much of the product they actually use. But, if you think that was the only difference, you must have zoned out during most of the video.
What about a Rich and a Broke version of Vegan Pot Pie?
Yessss
Hmm I can't seem to think of what would go in the high end vegan pot pie? Are there good fancy mock chick'n options?
@@smk7490 Seitan I guess....but it's not that expensive...
Now we’re talkin
@Southy Because Merle is vegan and makes vegan videos! Rachel lives eco-friendly and meat is not
I loved seeing Rachel throw a little salt over her shoulder for luck before putting it in
In my country we do that because it’s bad luck if you accidentally throw salt on the ground so u gotta do that to counteract it 🤣 🧙🏼
Lol you can’t see but I spilled some so that’s
what I did it 😂
Rachel Gaewski lol. Witches for life 🧙🏼🧙🏼
SAME!! I don't think I've ever seen a chef on tv or even YT do it. Immediately endeared her to me. It's an impulse for me anytime I spill salt, my whole fam does it.
@@veronicabellorin7501 ur from argentina?
MORE OF THIS!!! MORE MERLE RACHEL!!! loved it!!!!
I'm a simple gal: I see Merle, I click
I guess that means I'm a simple guy then...
I have *no beef* with either one of those!
You're doing the Lord's work with these Dad jokes.
DUDE HOW DO I SEE YOU EVERYWHERE
No but I might fight them cos I’ve a bad tempeh 👺
Dad, stop, you’re embarrassing me in front of my friends.
Okay update: I made Rachel’s version and it’s bomb-tofu ricotta really slaps guys👌🏽
Hey Merle and Rachel, that was a fun challenge!!! Loved it and they both looked delicious!!!🤤 Can you do NACHOS next?!🤩
I love this Ideaaaaaa YEEEEES I need a Merle nachos recipe
Actually Italian lasagne doesn't call for ricotta! Just make bechamel with unsweetened soy milk and flour, it will be cheaper and tastier!! If you're feeling fancy add a bit of nutritional yeast haha
As for a cheap meat substitute, I think lentils would be the winner, as they don't shrink like mushrooms! Just make sure to season them well😋
What kind of seasoning would you recommend? (I'm a total beginner when it comes to lentils as well as with lasagna)
@@smudge8882 Hey Mudge,when it comes to lasagne I like to add to the tomato sauce with lentils seasonings like black pepper, oregano, a tablespoon of soy sauce for umami flavour, garlic, a tiny bit of rosemary or thyme, sometimes red wine... Mainly Mediterranean flavours :)
@@fogonveganoasmr6973 Thank you!! :)
All the lasagna "purists" can go sit down. Nearly every single region of Italy has their own different version of lasanga and there isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to make "Lasagna" in general.
I love these videos and I love Merle! Thanks for sharing all this fun vegan content with us!
THIS DUO SHOULD DO MORE VIDS TOGETHER!!!!! As for recipes I'd like to see you do, how about a vindaloo (most are vegan IIRC) or maybe a hearty vegetable stew with summer or winter veggies?
I was shocked with how expensive Cashews are in the US!
Here in some parts of Brazil you could buy a package of 1kg for 2USD or less!
I love this segment! It helps me figure out how to eat Vegan on a budget and gives me ideas for something delicious and quick!
She should have used Kite Hill ricotta in the expensive one.
Hmmmm our usernames look similar....
@Kyle Baker 😆
Agree! I love their ricotta 💕💕
I feel like Aria is Merle’s true other half, now she is complete and she is completely blooming...
So happy for her seriously
Lmao southy didn’t you just comment to someone talking about fresh tomatoes to “mind your own business” and here you are not noticing aria was male and being a snoop =/ I mean that’s a good question but you’re being a huge hypocrite
@Southy Aria is the guy who tasted the lasagnas in the end. Him and Merle are dating. So no, Merle and Rachel are not a lesbian couple.
The were flirting like crazy in the chocolate chip cookie video, so this doesn't surprise me. How long have they been dating?
Can they please have their series together?! Love the approach and the view on vegan lifestyle
Recipes are limitless what can be done in this way
Wow! I love this video. Great energy from everyone and I definitely am interested in making the $14 lasagna! (sorry Merle! I’m broke! no cashews for Katie). This is my favorite content from my favorite creators- keep up the GREAT WORK! ❤️
Aria- “I hope I’m not sleeping on the couch tonight!”
Merl-“you sure are!” 😂😂
Now we know who's the boss of the household 🤣🤣
I'm glad Rachel got cheaper. She rocks the low budget recipes.
I have been living for all of Goodful's vegan content!! I remember when Tasty Vegetarian launched and it was a huge thing, but plant based is truly different. Keep it up :))
Love the mushroom/eggplant combo. TVP would've been a good choice too, it's pretty inexpensive as well
Doesn't matter what y'all choose to do the two of you together is a hit. Definitely need more of this.
I would do merles meat sauce with rachels ricotta but also with slices of grilled eggplant 🙌🏻🤤
Totally thought that about the eggplant
I love the way the budget lasagna looks! Looks absolutely delicious!
So the lesson I’m taking is that you can use red wine vinegar on the expensive one and bring the price down to $25.
Instead of using ricotta, you could also make a bechamel sauce. That's what I'm used to.
I like Rachel and Mel together, they are so fun and sweet and just radiate happiness
Love this collab! Yall make me laugh through the whole video. We need more of this!
Love how we had worth it and make it fancy all in one episode
Such a great video 😂❤ this is what I love to see. Original videos that are genuine!
Delicious! Made the budget friendly version and it was amazing. Even my two older sons ( not vegan) liked it. Will make again for sure.
Please make an entire show out of this concept!
10:39 "I would make a love child out of these two lasagnas". I would LOVE to see that! It would be interesting to see how much a pan of that would be comparatively.
I would too. I can let go of the meat, I made a pretty good mushroom "meat sauce" the other day. I might use something that's not tofu for cheese though.
it's official...
merlchel is a thing now
So wholesome, so clean, so sweet.. coming from a non - vegan or vegetarian. They both look sooo delicious! I want them both!
I'll definitely try the cheaper one, where I live it's not easy or cheap to find vegan meat. But also as a vegan I don't really like to make my food resemble real meat or cheese but I know some people really miss that.
Both look delicious! Little tip: mix in olive oil yourself AFTER you blend all the other ingredients for the cashew ricotta cheese because olive oil has a bitter compound which are separated from the oils in a blender or a food processor, making the whole thing taste a bit bitter
i love these two together. and i agree, we need to give rachel a show where she recreates things on a tight budget. vegan cheesecake on a budget? vegan thanksgiving on a budget? vegan bbq on a budget? just throwing some ideas i think she'd be great at it. love her attitude towards saving money
GOODFUL, please, we need more Rachel vs Merle cheap vs expensive challenges!!!
The cheaper version is the version I would go for because I can't afford the expensive version unless it's a treat.😋
advise to the producers: the constant “ca-ching” noise really makes me anxious and it would be nicer if the price was just displayed
Autistic people bel like:
@@sadimedreob4586 lol! We’re out here!
I'd like to see rich vs broke vegan Thanksgiving/holiday meal
Omggg just made Rachels version and its so so good :P defo making it again
Vegan enchiladas!! I’d love to see a episode on this.
I just LOVE these ladies! They always make me smile, and I always learn something.
Recipes from the USA are the only ones where I see people using ricotta instead of bechamel sauce
Would love to see desserts in this format - cakes or pies, maybe?
Rich and Resourceful versions: Sushi, Thanksgiving, and Sandwiches
I LOVED Rachel's cheap zucchini lentil recipe and I would love to see a lot more cheap vegan dishes from her! She is different!
"Yes hello store person, I would like to purchase a singular pinch of salt"
Aria - "I hope I'm not sleeping on the couch today".
Merle- " you sure are". 🤓
Fun fact: I recommend growing basil the seeds/plant is very cheap for me so i can have basil all year around and when winter comes i just dry it
Did anyone notice how she sprinkled some of the salt over her shoulder? I thought most people do it when they spill salt....
If just the wine was $30... then the meal was basically just $24
I use silken tofu for the ricotta, and soak tvp and mushrooms in liquid aminos and rice wine, then simmered in a fire roasted tomato sauce
Bechamel with homemade oat milk is dirt cheap and you get a couple of bucks for a cheap veggie ground haha
10:29 this literally made me burst out loud laughing I cannot deal lmao
I’ve just discovered this channel and I love it!
I love this. Felt like just 7 years ago when I went vegan it was quite hard to find recipes that were cheap. Always bought the pre-made stuff. Not very cheap most of the time. All of these cheap recipes are a lifesaver when I'm low on cash for some months! Everything cruel-free and healthy! Just need to convince my girlfriend. Love cooking though, so she'll join us, vegans, one day!
10:30 His nervous laugh made this entire video. 😂
USE CLOVESSS FOR ANY TOMATO MEATSAUCE. Gives basil delicious flavor
I’ll try the broke version tomorrow. It looks fantastic !
Love it! You guys are great! Thanks for sharing!
I love both Rachel and Merle!
Good timing as I was planning on making vegan lasagne tonight. Now I'm in the mood.
Maybe try a bechamel sauce instead of the tofu ricotta. It's just oil, flour, whatever alternative milk you want, and seasoning, might bind it better and make it richer without the vegan cheese.
Cybercraft sorry, a little late. I didn't use their recipe but I did use one with tofu ricotta. In the oven now. Sounds good though and thanks for the suggestion. The tofu ricotta will be really good too though I'm sure. 😋
@@foxwithsocks47 darn! Lol. I bet it will be too tough. Happy eating! 😀
Cybercraft sorry but that's not very nice. I think it'll be really good.
@@foxwithsocks47 ? I was not being mean. I was agreeing with you. There are many ways to make delicious lasagna. I'm sorry if it came across rude.
Can we please have more of Merle and Rachel and more videos like this please 😝😋😊
Hi! Good ideas, they all look amazing... But if you want to try a cheeper recipe (more similar to the Italian one 😉) you can:
- prepare a lentil ragú (fry the onion in a pan with olive oil, add lentils with fresh rosemary and laurel leaves if you like, stir for 3-5 minutes, then add tomatoe sauce. Boil slowly for 30 minutes to some hours if you want more tasty)
- prepare vegan besciamella sauce (500 ml of rice milk, 40 ml of olive oil, 40 g of whole grain flour, salt pepper and nutmeg. Here the method www.vegolosi.it/ricette-vegane/besciamella-vegan/. It's in italian, sorry, but you have to add oil and flour stirring constantly. Then add the milk,and continue stirring until boiling and after until the besciamella it's creamy. Then flavour with the spices)
- assemble the lasagna in the classic method. If you want a more cheesy flavour you can add in any layer a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
- in the top of lasagna sprinkle with fake parmesan cheese prepared blending nutritional yeast with almond or cashews. Or only nutritional yeast.
Easy, cheep and delicious 😉
That’s awesome! I’m definitely going to try the $14 recipe
I LOVE the Rie reference ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I love the Ríe reference 😭💜 i adore her!
It's 2am and now I'm hungry lol. Thanks guys
When I make a veg lasagna I use soy cream(Alpro cuisine) with a pinch of nutmeg as white sauce.
What about chili cheese fries? Or even better, carne asada fries. CCF is just the chili, cheese and fries. CAF is so much more. Carne asada, cheese, sour cream, guac, salsa, mmm!!
I ever watch this vídeos with a smile on face, it's fascinating
I've done the ricotta as tofu and garlic hummus mix but definitely wanna try with the yeast
Merle bought several fancy ingredients but not a fresh pasta?
Yea,I was thinking homemade noodles. It's what Frank would do... 🙊
@@andrewwashere82 You're referring to the professional chef from that other channel,right?
@@bandosdoitbest
Shh, don't get me in trouble. They cook meat! 🤫
$24 lasagna with $30 wine lol
@@nmg6248 basically
Both recipes are good! Great job
Love this video. You guys are great
I'd love to see Merle try to recreate the farmer's lasagna from Sage Vegan Bistro (LA vegan spot). I'm not even vegan or vegetarian and it's the BEST lasagna I've ever had!
Rachel should have used fresh tomatoes. Tomatoes are cheaper than the jar.
@Southy you're spelling sucks and he's right
@Southy why should I mind my own business. This a public video on a public forum with open commenting. I am stating a fact. Fresh tomatoes are cheaper. You can make a big pot of sauce and store it in the freezer.
Fresh tomatoes are way more expensive than canned, where I live (Canada).
@@MandyRoy425 you can use canned tomatoes.
Where i live (Uk) canned chopped tomatoes is cheaper. From lidl a can is 35p but a tray box of tomatoes is about 50p to £1. Just go for the chopped tomatoes, you don’t need a food processor then either.
the best lasagne i make are SO cheap cause all you need is bechamel sauce (milk, butter/oil and flour), and i make traditional italian ragù using lentils instead of the meat and it's absolutely deliciuos and also really easy to make. (i also add some grated cheese cause im vegetarian)
Awesome to know we don't need the impossible meat. More veggies!
Would you guys consider trying out a Sauce Stache recipe?
Such a cool video! New subscriber from france, sending you love!
Both dishes look so delicious!!😀
Merle seemed so devastated when she lost 😭😂
I dont know if you guys have this in the US but in Europe you can occasionally find dried tofu bits which can take on the role of minced meat after you soak and season them.
Edit: lasagna noodles actually don’t need pre cooking because they absorb humidity from the sauces unless the noodles you find in the US are wildly different from the ones in EU.
I think most people cook them a little, just so they don’t end up absorbing all of your sauce, leaving the lasagna dry
Tony Danza's meatballs. Do one version with mock meat and the other one whole foods plant based.
It's kinda funny how Rachel accurately predicted every of Merle's moves
I made the cheap one and it was pretty good! Actually was more flavorful and yummy after a day in the fridge
You can make a beschamel sauce with nutritional yeast and garlic for the topping. It will also brown up. Also Impossible Meat is totally GMO whereas Beyond Meat is very meaty and NOT genetically modified frankin food.
It's almost that time of year - a rich and a broke vegan Thanksgiving feast!
Yes !!
Did she just put the salt on/ over her shoulder at 2:16?
I would have used a mixture of red lentils and vegetables as a meat substitute. Red lentils are really cheap and give a great texture + protein
Realistically tho both budgets will be higher as you can't only buy the quantities of what you need , you'll usually need to buy a whole tofu block, jar of spice etc
You can't just go and buy spices by the spoon etc
You guys are the best!