Beef lasagne with garlic bread: how much it costs to make, per portion
A ten-portion tray of beef lasagne: a beef and tomato ragù, pre-cooked pasta sheets, a white sauce and a mature cheddar top, served with two slices of garlic bread. Costed from JJ Foodservice prices dated 10 October 2026.
The main price uses 68% GP, in line with the UK food GP benchmarks (UKHospitality × Christie & Co, 2022: 65.9–69% food GP across every segment). The 75% line is a premium price; few UK sites hold it across a whole menu. GP is worked out on the ex-VAT price.
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Ingredients and cost, 10 portions
| Ingredient | Pack price | Pack size | Used | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef mince, 10% fat | £14.99 | 2000 g | 1500 g | £11.24 |
| Onions | £7.49 | 10000 g | 400 g | £0.30 |
| Carrots | £7.49 | 10000 g | 200 g | £0.15 |
| Celery (head) | £13.99 | 12 each | 0.5 each | £0.58 |
| Garlic | £3.49 | 1000 g | 20 g | £0.07 |
| Vegetable oil | £26.99 | 20000 ml | 30 ml | £0.04 |
| Chopped tomatoes (tinned) | £19.99 | 17700 g | 1600 g | £1.81 |
| Tomato paste | £7.49 | 3000 g | 60 g | £0.15 |
| Dried oregano | £8.99 | 800 g | 5 g | £0.06 |
| Stock (vegetable bouillon powder) | £10.99 | 1000 g | 15 g | £0.16 |
| Lasagne sheets, pre-cooked | £16.99 | 6000 g | 500 g | £1.42 |
| Unsalted butter (white sauce) | £30.49 | 5000 g | 100 g | £0.61 |
| Plain flour (white sauce) | £12.49 | 16000 g | 100 g | £0.08 |
| Whole milk (white sauce) | £1.69 | 2000 ml | 1200 ml | £1.01 |
| Mature cheddar, grated | £11.99 | 2000 g | 300 g | £1.80 |
| Garlic bread slices, part-baked | £22.99 | 150 each | 20 each | £3.07 |
| Table salt | £10.99 | 6000 g | 10 g | £0.02 |
| Ground black pepper | £15.99 | 1000 g | 3 g | £0.05 |
| Batch total | £22.61 | |||
| Per portion (÷ 10) | £2.26 | |||
Cost per line is pack price × (amount used ÷ pack size), the same sum the tool runs. Change one pack price and every line that uses it moves.
Method
- Soften the diced onion, carrot, celery and garlic in the oil, add the mince and brown it.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano and about 300 ml of stock; simmer for 45 minutes and season.
- Make a white sauce: melt the butter, cook the flour in it for a minute, whisk in the hot milk and simmer until thick.
- Layer ragù, sheets and white sauce in a deep tray, three layers, finishing with white sauce; top with the cheddar.
- Bake at 180 °C for 40-45 minutes, rest for 15 minutes, cut into ten. Bake the garlic slices to order.
Costing notes
Mince is £11.24 of the £22.61 batch. Half the remaining cost is the white sauce and cheese, which is where lasagnes drift: weigh the cheddar for the top once so the tray matches the costing. Two garlic slices add £0.31 a portion; if you serve a side salad instead, swap the line.
Resting the tray before cutting is not only about presentation. A lasagne cut hot slumps, portions come out uneven, and the last two plates from the tray end up small or get topped up.
Where the prices came from
JJ Foodservice collection prices as shown on its public search pages on 10 October 2026 (delivery runs about £1-2 a case higher; one line JJ listed on delivery only is marked). JJ does not label VAT on most lines: raw food is zero-rated in the UK, while soft drinks, alcohol, confectionery and some ingredients carry standard-rate VAT. Your supplier's price is the one that matters: open the recipe and type it in.
- Beef mince, 10% fat: JJ UK Halal Minced Beef 10% Fat 2x1kg, 2 kg, £14.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Onions: Brown Cooking Onions 1x10kg (VEG655), 10 kg, £7.49 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Carrots: Carrots 1x10kg, 10 kg, £7.49 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Celery (head): Celery 1x12 (VEG377), 12 heads, £13.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Garlic: Fresh Garlic 1x1kg (VEG784), 1 kg, £3.49 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Vegetable oil: JJ Vegetable Cooking Oil BIB 1x20L (OIL114), 20 L, £26.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Chopped tomatoes (tinned): JJ Chopped Tomatoes 6x2.95kg, 6 x 2.95 kg, £19.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Tomato paste: JJ Tomato Paste 1x3000g (SAU706), 3 kg, £7.49 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Dried oregano: JJ Oregano 1x0.8kg (SPI597), 800 g, £8.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Stock (vegetable bouillon powder): Gomo Vegetable Bouillon 1x1kg (MIS112), 1 kg, £10.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Lasagne sheets, pre-cooked: Pre-Cooked Plain Reggia Lasagne 12x500g (PST141), 6 kg, £16.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Unsalted butter (white sauce): Lakeland Unsalted Butter 20x250g (DAI186), 5 kg, £30.49 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Plain flour (white sauce): JJ Plain Flour 1x16kg, 16 kg, £12.49 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Whole milk (white sauce): Fresh Whole Milk 1x2L (DAI005), 2 L, £1.69 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Mature cheddar, grated: Vittorios Mature Grated Cheddar 1x2kg, 2 kg, £11.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Garlic bread slices, part-baked: Riva Part Baked Garlic Slices 1x150 (BAK441), 150 slices, £22.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Table salt: DP Table Salt Tub 1x6kg (SPI277), 6 kg, £10.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Ground black pepper: Ground Black Pepper 1x1kg (SPI293), 1 kg, £15.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
More costed dishes: pub and restaurant classics
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