Nothing beats a hearty bowl of keto beef stew on a cold day. Tender chunks of beef, carrots, onions and celery root enveloped in a rich and thick gravy. Immensely satisfying and keto-friendly.
The secret is to brown the beef and roots in a single layer before braising them to seal in the flavors and get a crispy exterior followed by a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Be mindful with the salt and adjust to your liking, depending on the broth you are using.
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Keto Beef Stew
A low carb beef stew is perfect for anyone on the keto diet. Sautéing the beef and vegetables in butter and then simmering everything together in beef stock provides a rich, thick gravy with intense flavor.
The perfect keto beef stew has chunks of beef that melt in your mouth with vegetables that are tender but not too mushy. All in a delicious, rich and comforting gravy.
Low Carb Beef Stew Vegetables
Traditional beef stew vegetables are too high in carbohydrates and so we have made a few substitutions. We replace potatoes with less starchy celery root and only use a small number of carrots and onion. This low carb stew recipe is versatile, so feel free to add your favorite low carb vegetables.
When making this low carb stew we will be using a red onion, celery root, carrots and crushed tomatoes. Although some of these aren't traditionally low carb vegetables we use them sparingly and the end result only contains 9.6 grams of net carbs which will fit into most keto meal plans.
Other vegetables you may like to try are mushrooms, green beans, celery and zucchini.
How Can I Make The Beef Tender?
The secret to tender meat in stews is not just in the cut, but also in how you cook it.
Here are some simple tips for tender stew meat:
- Make sure you let the beef sit at room temperature before you start to cook. Cooking cold meat 'shocks' it which causes it to become tougher.
- Brown the beef in a single layer without overcrowding the pan. This seals in all the flavors before you braise.
- Buy the right cut. I recommend using a chuck roast and cutting it into cubes.
How To Make Keto Beef Stew
First, take half your butter and grab a non-stick pan. Sauté the beef cubes for around 10 minutes until golden brown. Don't overcrowd the pan and work in batches if you need to. No pieces of beef should be touching each other. Once you've finished, set the beef aside.
In the same pan heat the remaining butter. Sauté the carrots, celery root and onions until tender (around 5 to 7 minutes). Once ready, add the garlic and thyme then stir to combine the flavors.
Next, return the cooked beef to the pan and add your beef stock and crushed tomatoes. Add the bay leaves and simmer over medium heat for 50-60 minutes until the beef is tender and the stew reaches a thick consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper then serve hot!
Other Comforting Keto Recipes
- Keto Philly Cheesesteak Casserole - Ground beef, peppers, onions and lots of cheese make this a hearty casserole that is ready in just 40 minutes.
- The BEST Keto Meatloaf - Baked to perfection it comes out juicy, tender and absolutely delicious!
Keto Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Beef diced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 Red Onion sliced
- 2 medium Carrots sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic sliced
- 2 cups Celery Root diced
- 4 cups Beef Stock gluten-free
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- ½ cup Crushed Tomatoes
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 teaspoon Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Heat half the amount of butter in a non-stick pan and sauté the beef for 10 minutes until golden brown, working in batches if needed to make sure the beef pieces don’t touch each other. Remove the beef from the pan and set it aside.
- In the same pan, heat the remaining butter and sauté the carrots, celery root and onions for 5-7 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and thyme and stir to combine the flavors.
- Return the beef to the pan and add the beef stock and the crushed tomatoes. Add the bay leaves and simmer over medium heat for 50 minutes to an hour until the beef is tender and the stew riches a thick consistency.
- Season to taste with salt and black pepper and serve hot.
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Mary Ann
I doubled the recipe for 8 servings, but having 8 cups of beef stock turned it into beef veggie soup instead of beef stew. Flavor is great and the recipe is really simple to follow. Next time I make I will start with less beef stock and just add as needed. I did also add in 1 TBSP worcestershire sauce and 1 1/2 tsp of dijon.
Jennifer
Hi Mary Ann! Thanks for letting me know, I'll add a tip to add less beef stock if you're increasing the recipe.
Those additions sound delicious too 🙂
Glad you liked it anyway!