Newsflash! Comfort food does not have to mean carb-heavy meals! This Keto Beef Stew captures all the cozy, savory goodness of the original without the unnecessary carbs. The slow simmered beef becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender and the hearty low carb vegetables soak up all the rich flavor. The velvety broth brings the whole dish together.
It’s the real deal and tastes almost too good to be low carb and grain-free. Serve it on its own or serve overtop creamy mashed cauliflower for a hearty and healthy keto family dinner.
Reader’s Thoughts
“I made this beef stew tonight and my husband says it is a keeper. He swears no one would guess it is a keto recipe. He has tried many keto dishes in the last 2 years and this is by far his favorite. It was so good. Thank you Carolyn for making this a lifestyle that I can live with. I have not had to use insulin in almost 2 years.” — Cathy
Over the years, I’ve made countless versions of this stew, tweaking it a little here and there until I got it just right. I wanted something that was rich and flavorful enough to satisfy everyone in my family, even the keto-skeptics. And while one of my kids tends to eat around the zucchini, they all adore this hearty keto dinner recipe.
Oh and the fragrance that emanates through the house while it’s simmering away is pure heaven. It is one of my favorite high protein meals during the cold weather months. It’s nourishing, easy to make, and guaranteed to please everyone at the table.
Why you will love this keto beef stew
- Meltingly tender chunks of slow cooked beef.
- Hearty vegetables that add flavor and texture.
- A rich and thick broth with no grains or flour.
- Deep flavor that gets even better as it sits.
- Easy to make ahead for keto meal prep.
- Cook in the oven, slow cooker, or instant pot.
- 30 grams of protein and only 4.2 grams net carbs per serving.
Ingredient Notes
- Beef stew meat: I typically use chuck steak, but you can also use London broil.
- Onion: Keep the onions to a minimum, as they add a surprising amount of carbs.
- Celery: Celery adds a great flavor to keto soups and stews.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh herbs add wonderful flavor and aroma. I recommend fresh rosemary or thyme.
- Garlic: Choose fresh garlic over garlic powder for the best flavor.
- Red wine: If you don’t drink wine, substitute with another half cup of beef broth, but take the time to reduce it as you would with the wine.
- Low carb vegetables: I favor turnip and zucchini, but you can also add mushrooms. celeriac, or rutabaga.
- Carrots: A small amount of carrots adds nice color to the stew. Feel free to sub in some red pepper for color instead.
- Glucomannan: This is my favorite way to thicken broth, but you can also use xanthan gum instead. See the Tips for Success for more information on this substitute.
- Pantry staples: vegetable oil, tomato paste, beef broth, salt and pepper.
Overview: How to Make This Recipe
- Brown the beef: Season the meat with salt and pepper then brown all sides in a hot Dutch oven.
- Sauté the aromatics: Remove the beef to a bowl and add the onion and celery. Stir in the rosemary, tomato paste, and garlic, and cook until fragrant.
- Add liquids: Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer, then add the beef and any accumulated juices back into the pan.
- Transfer to the oven: Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and cook in the oven for 1 hour.
- Add the veggies: Add the zucchini, turnip, and carrots, and continue to cook until tender.
- Thicken the broth: Push the meat and vegetables to the side and whisk the glucommanan into the liquid. It will continue to thicken as it sits.
Tips for Success
Brown the beef in batches. Unless you have a really large Dutch oven, you won’t be able to fit in all the beef at once. To brown properly, each piece of stew meat should touch the bottom of the pan. Make sure to brown them on each side for the best flavor.
Keep the broth to a minimum. Many keto stews suffer from being too soupy. Add only enough broth to allow the meat to cook slowly. 1 to 1 ½ cups is usually enough.
Transfer to the oven. You could cook the stew entirely on the stovetop but the oven saves time and energy. When it’s on the stove, you have to turn the element up and down frequently to achieve a constant low simmer. The oven at 325ºF is better for maintaining a constant temperature.
Xanthan gum. To use this thickener, you want to remove about half a cup of broth from the stew at the end. Place in a bowl and sprinkle the surface with xanthan gum while whisking continuously. Then add the thickened broth back into the stew and mix to combine.
Alternative Cooking Methods
Slow Cooker Method. I highly recommend browning the beef properly first. Use a pan over the stove to brown in batches before transferring to the slow cooker. It will need 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
Instant Pot Method. Brown the beef using the Sauté function. Cut the broth back to half a cup, as pressure cookers force a lot of liquid out of meats and veggies. Cook it for 20 minutes on the stew function, then add the veggies and cook another 15 minutes or so.
Frequently Asked Questions
Carrots are not the lowest carb of veggies but they do add a nice pop of color to soups and stews. I only used about 1/4 cup of sliced carrot, which adds less than half a gram of carbs per serving. Feel free to sub in some red pepper for color instead.
Glucomannan is the best way to thicken recipes like soup, stew, or keto gravy. It has a better texture than xanthan gum and doesn’t have that slimy quality. However, if you do use xanthan gum, the best thing to do is to remove some of the broth, whisk it quickly into that, and then stir it back into the stew.
This keto beef stew recipe has 5.8g of carbs and 1.6g of fiber per serving. That comes to 4.2g net carbs per bowl of stew.
What to serve with keto beef stew
Keto Beef Stew Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lb (907.18 g) beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch chunks
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp avocado or olive oil, divided
- 1/2 cup (80 g) diced onion
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary or thyme
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup (120 g) red wine
- 1 cup (240 g) beef broth
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 1 small turnip, cubed
- 1/2 small carrot, chopped (optional)
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) glucomannan
Instructions
- Pat the beef dry and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 325F.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Once hot, add half of the the beef and cook, stirring a few times, until nicely browned on all sides. Remove to a bowl and repeat with another tablespoon of oil and the remaining beef.
- Add the remaining oil to the pan and sauté the onion and celery until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the rosemary, tomato paste, and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 more minute.
- Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 2 more minutes. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer, then add the beef and any accumulated juices back into the pan.
- Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid, transfer to the oven and let cook for 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven, add the zucchini, turnip, and carrots, and stir to combine. Return to the oven and cook another 30 to 45 minutes, until tender.
- To thicken the broth, push the meat and vegetables to the side and whisk the glucommanan into the liquid. It will continue to thicken as it sits.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I made this yesterday in prep for our upcoming snowmageddan of easy meals to reheat via propane if we lose power. Very tasty. I added both rosemary & thyme and I like the combination.
Carolyn,
The thickening agent…I was not familiar with it and looked it up. It is a supplement? Am I missing something?
Thank you….
I love your recipes…I have most of your cookbooks.
Deb
Glucomannan is the fiber from the konjac root, same thing that is in shiritaki noodles. It is used as a supplement for people who need more fiber… but it’s very useful for thickening sauces.
This is the best stew recipe ever. I didn’t add the wine , but I added three splashes of Worcestershire sauce. I love the turnips in this. I felt guilty like I was eating potatoes. So yummy. This is a keeper for sure.
So glad you liked it!
We do a lot of canning and I have only ever done “regular” stews. I’ve checked and this one looks like one that we can prepare for our pantry (saving the thickening agent for when we actually heat it to eat). I can’t wait to replace our regular foods with Keto friendly versions. Thank you for all you do for us!