Beef & Vegetable Lasagne (Baby & Toddler Pouch Project Recipe | 6+ Months)

Welcome to Pouch Project – where we take those oh-so-popular baby food pouch flavours and remake them at home with better balance, better nutrition and a better price. Each recipe recreates a supermarket pouch from scratch so you can see exactly what goes in, how it stacks up, and how much you save.

In this one we're recreating the Rafferty's Garden Beef & Hearty Vegetable Lasagne pouch (10+ months, 170g). You can read our full review of this pouch here.

Rafferty's Pouch — Ingredient Breakdown

Water, Tomato (27%), Lasagnette Pasta (Wheat), Carrot (7%), Beef (5%), Onion (3%), Modified Corn Starch, Parmesan Cheese (Milk), Garlic, Basil, Oregano, Parsley.

• Cost: ~$3.00 per 170g pouch (~$1.76 per 100g)

• Beef: 5% • Age: 10+ months • Allergens: Milk, Gluten (wheat); may contain egg

Our Pouch Project Version — Ingredient Breakdown

Beef mince, tomato passata, wholemeal pasta, carrot, baby spinach, olive oil, garlic and dried herbs. No modified starches, no yeast extract — just real food.

• Cost: ~$9.00 makes a ~1,100g batch (about six 170g serves) — roughly $0.82 per 100g or about $1.40 a serve (approximate, based on standard supermarket prices)

• Allergens: Wheat (pasta) only

The Difference

• Around half the cost per 100g — one batch makes about six pouches' worth for the price of three.

• Much more beef for a bigger iron and protein hit, versus 5% beef in the pouch.

• Dairy-free as written (the pouch contains milk), so it suits more babies.

• No fillers — no modified corn starch or yeast extract.

• Suitable earlier — from around 6 months with simple texture changes, where the pouch is labelled 10+ months.

Quick Recipe Snapshot

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: ~6 baby and toddler portions (a ~1,100g batch)

Freezer friendly: Yes

Texture: Soft, saucy pasta — blend, mash or serve as soft pieces

Age & Texture Guidance

Suitable from around 6 months with a little modification. For younger babies, blend or mash to a smooth-to-lumpy texture and cut the pasta small. From around 9+ months, or when your bub is ready, serve the soft pasta and mince as is for little hands to practise self-feeding. Every baby develops differently, so follow your little one's lead and pick the texture that suits their stage.

Allergens Present

• Wheat / Gluten (wholemeal pasta)

Allergen Substitutions

• Wheat / Gluten — swap the pasta for a gluten-free pasta or soft cooked rice.

Why We Love This Recipe

• Iron-rich beef mince to support your baby's growing needs.

• One pan and ready in about 25 minutes.

• Batch cooks and freezes beautifully for easy weeknight dinners.

• Works for the whole family — babies, toddlers and big kids.

• Real ingredients you can pronounce, at a fraction of the pouch price.