Bring a rich, hearty, and delicious comfort food meal to the table with this low carb beef stew recipe.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: This beef stew is rich and savory with succulent beef, earthy mushrooms, and a slow-simmered broth.
- Technique: Browned beef and a wine reduction builds a delicious, restaurant-style broth.
- Recommended tools: A Dutch oven or other heavy pot helps maintain even heat to ensure melt-in-your-mouth beef as it simmers.
- Serving suggestions: I love serving this stew on chilly nights or after a long, busy day. It’s also one of my favorite recipes to meal prep for lunch, especially paired with a cozy side of cauliflower mash.
What You’ll Need
- Meat: Beef chuck or stew meat is extra flavorful when you choose well-marbled pieces.
- Broth: Red wine is used to deglaze the pan. Then along with the beef broth and tomato paste you create a deeply flavored broth. If red wine isn’t available, simply add more broth.
- Vegetables: Turnips, carrots, celery, and green beans add hearty texture and natural sweetness which balances the savory notes.
- Variations: For easy variations, replace the carrots with extra turnips or cauliflower for an even lower-carb version. You can also add fresh herbs at the end for a brighter finish or stir in a splash of cream for a silky, richer broth.
How to Make Low Carb Beef Stew
- Brown the beef in oil and remove. Sauté onion, mushrooms, and garlic.
- Deglaze the pan with red wine and cook until the wine is almost evaporated.
- Return the beef to the pot with broth, celery, tomato paste, and seasonings.
- Cover and simmer (full recipe below).
- Add remaining ingredients and simmer until the veggies are tender.
What I’ve Learned Making This Stew
- Brown the beef in batches, leaving room so the pieces sear and not steam.
- Add the green beans near the end to avoid overcooking them.
- If the broth tastes flat, add a splash of vinegar or a pinch more salt.
- To naturally thicken the broth, puree a cup of cooked veggies and stir them back in.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
Refrigerate cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, or microwave portions, to keep the vegetables from becoming mushy. Add a splash of broth if the stew has thickened.
Freeze before adding the cornstarch for the best texture. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Easy Low Carb Weeknight Dinners
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Low Carb Beef Stew
A hearty low-carb beef stew with pull apart beef, savory vegetables, and a rich, slow-simmered broth.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ pounds chuck or stew meat cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion diced
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced ½-inch thick
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 3 ribs celery cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary crushed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 turnips peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 6 ounces green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or 2 teaspoons xanthan gum optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef cubes and cook without stirring until browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Stir and brown on the other side, remove from the pan, and set aside. Repeat with remaining beef.
- Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic (adding more oil if needed). Cook until the onion is slightly softened.
- Add the red wine to the pot and use a spatula to scrape up any brown bits. Cook until the wine is almost evaporated.
- Add the browned beef, broth, celery, tomato paste, rosemary, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes or until beef is tender.
- Add turnip and carrots, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the beans and simmer 10-15 minutes more, or until all vegetables are tender. (If you prefer softer beans, they can be added earlier with the carrots).
- If desired, combine the cornstarch or xanathan gum with 3 tablespoons of cold water or broth. Stir into the simmering stew to thicken.
Notes
- Nutrition information does not include cornstarch or xanthan gum. Cornstarch will add 2g carbs per serving.
- To thicken stew without using cornstarch or xanthan gum, use a blender to puree 1 or two cups of cooked turnips and carrots with a small amount of broth, then mix it back into the stew.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days and in the freezer for 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 612mg | Potassium: 955mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2775IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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REPIN this Low Carb Beef Stew recipe
This is the best homemade beef stew I have ever made. Love the Turnip as a potatoes substitute. I did use the thicken the broth near the end. It was perfect. Thank you
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Andrea! Thanks for leaving a comment 🙂
Delicious! Full of flavor!
So glad you enjoyed it, Lizzy!