Homemade Healthy Beef Stew

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

My easy Homemade (and healthy) low carb stew recipe is a family favourite one-pot meal. With just 15 minutes of preparation time let your slow cooker, pressure cooker, or thermal cooker do all the heavy lifting for you!

Low in carbs – this slow cooker beef stew recipe uses no flour, grains or potato, so it is naturally low in carbs and perfect for the ketogenic diet.

Multiple Cooking Methods – I have included how to cook a stovetop classic beef stew, thermal cookers (beef stew in your Thermomix®), multicookers and slow cookers e.g. Crockpot Beef Stew.

Related Multicooker Recipes – Italian Keto Meatloaf Recipe / Easy Keto Butter Chicken Recipe

Beef Stew vs Beef Casserole

What is the difference between a beef stew and a beef casserole?

Pretty much nothing. Some would say a casserole is cooked in an oven and a stew on the stovetop. But, with the rise of kitchen appliances like Crockpot, Instant Pot, Ninja Foodie, Thermomix®, Magimix®, plus more, a casserole or stew can be made with many appliances and various heating methods.

Related Keto Beef Recipes – Birria Tacos with Consommé / Sous Vide Wagyu Steak

The Ingredients

Scroll to the bottom of this post for the quantity of each ingredient used in our ketogenic beef stew.

Chuck Steak – I use chuck steak, beef chuck roast for stew meat. You can use blade steak, gravy beef for any beef stew recipes. The quality and age of the cow before slaughter can affect the properties of the meat. More time may be required than the recipe states. If your beef is not tender after the suggested cooking then extend the time until it is. 

Beef Stock – I use Urban Forager beef stock paste with my recipes. You can use any low sodium beef broth or homemade beef stock. You can add red wine as well if you prefer. If adding wine, I would replace half the beef broth with a red wine that you love.

Vegetables – use any vegetables you prefer, add less, more, or none for a carnivore beef stew. It is up to you. My measures and vegetables used were just what I had on hand in my crisper. Other great choices for keto stew vegetables would include turnips, celery root, kohlrabi, and leek.

How To Make Beef Stew in an Instant Pot

We have included a few methods to make this healthy low carb beef stew recipe. Scroll to the recipe card below to see if your preferred method is included.

The below images are to show you how the stew should look at each stage using an Instant Pot, crock pot, or multicooker.

Step 1. Season the beef with paprika, salt, and pepper. Set to Sauté and add the oil and butter. When the butter has melted add the beef, onion, garlic, bacon, and chorizo and brown, stirring occasionally.

Step 2. Scrape the bottom of the bowl for any burned-on spices and add the remaining ingredients, except the thickener. Lock the lid and steam valve in place. Set to Pressure Cook/High/35 minutes. Leave to natural release for 10 minutes then quick release.

Step 3. Turn the heat up in the slow cooker or pour the sauce into a saucepan. Whisk through the thickener and simmer over high heat until thickened to your liking. It should be noted that the sauce will thicken with resting without any added thickeners.

How To Make Beef Stew on the Stovetop, Crockpot or Slow Cooker

Step 1. Season the beef with paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the beef, onion, garlic, bacon, and chorizo (in batches if the pan is not big enough) until browned on all sides. Pour into the slow cooker. (See notes). (If cooking on the stovetop, brown the beef in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat, then add the remaining ingredients to the pot).

Step 2. Add the remaining ingredients, except the thickener. Slow cook for 6-7 hours until beef is tender. Extend time if the beef is not soft and tender. For stovetop, cover the pot with a lid, turn the heat down to low and stir every hour until beef is soft.

Step 3. Turn the heat up in the slow cooker or pour the sauce into a saucepan. Whisk through the thickener and simmer over high heat and cook beef stew to your liking.

MEG’S TIP – It should be noted that the sauce will thicken with resting without any added thickeners. If using additional vegeatble like Yukon Gold potatoes then a thickener may not be needed due to the added starch.

How to Make Beef Casserole in the Thermomix®

Step 1. Season the beef with paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the beef, onion, garlic, bacon, and chorizo (in batches if the pan is not big enough) until browned on all sides. Pour into the slow cooker. (See notes). If cooking on the stovetop, brown the beef in a large cast iron pot and add the remaining ingredients to the pot after browning the beef.

Step 2. Add the remainder of the ingredients, except the thickener. Slow cook 4 hrs/98°C/reverse/stir. Extend cooking as needed.

Step 3. To thicken the stew, pour the broth into a saucepan and add the thickener. Whisk to combine and simmer over medium heat until it thickens. Add to the stew and stir to combine. (See notes).

FAQs and Hot Tips

More Recipes To Try

I know we are looking for easy keto recipes, like our healthy keto beef stew, which take little time to prepare. Here are a few of my favourite time-saving low carb healthy recipes that will fit into your weekly meal plans.

1. Keto Beef and Broccoli
2. Marry Me Chicken
3. Country Style Boneless Pork Ribs
4. Savoury Mince
5. Easy Zucchini Slice Without Flour
6. Devilled Sausages

RAVING NEW FAN? Subscribe to our newsletter. Join our keto community on Facebook and Instagram or see all the new stuff on Pinterest.

Homemade Beef Stew

A great homemade beef stew recipe is a handy one to have. Hearty, healthy and loaded with flavour this is one beef casserole the whole family will love!

5 from 133 votes!

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 7 hours hrs

Total Time: 7 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course: Lunch and Dinner

Cuisine: Australian Keto

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free

Recipe Category: Low Carb

Calories: 297kcal

Author: Megan Ellam

Servings: 6 serves

MetricUS Customary

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Equipment

• Instant Pot ®
• slow cooker

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) smoked paprika
• ▢ 500 g (1 lb) chuck steak cubed, see notes
• ▢ 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) butter
• ▢ 0.5 (1/2) onion roughly chopped
• ▢ 2 (2) garlic cloves finely minced
• ▢ 2 (2) bacon rashers sliced into strips
• ▢ 0.5 (0.5) chorizo sausage diced
• ▢ 2 (2) celery stalks diced
• ▢ 1 medium (1 medium) carrot sliced
• ▢ 4 (4) radishes roughly chopped
• ▢ 100 g (1 1/2 cups) brown mushrooms roughly chopped
• ▢ 2 cups (2 cups) beef stock
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (3 tablespoons) tomato paste
• ▢ thickener of choice see notes

Instructions

SLOW COOKER OR STOVETOP METHOD

• Season the beef with paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the beef, onion, garlic, bacon, and chorizo (in batches if the pan is not big enough) until browned on all sides. Pour into the slow cooker. (See notes). If cooking on the stovetop, brown the beef in a large cast iron pot and add the remaining ingredients to the pot after browning the beef.
• Add the remainder of the ingredients, except the thickener. Slow cook for 6-7 hours until beef is super tender. Extend time if the beef is not soft and tender. For stovetop, cover the pot with a lid, turn the heat down to low and stir every hour until beef is soft.
• Turn the heat up in the slow cooker or pour the sauce into a saucepan. whisk through the thickener and simmer over high heat until thickened to your liking. It should be noted that the sauce will thicken with resting without any added thickeners.

INSTANT POT (multicooker) METHOD

• Season the beef with paprika, salt, and pepper. Set to Sauté and add the oil and butter. When the butter has melted add the beef, onion, garlic, bacon, and chorizo and brown, stirring occasionally.
• Scrape the bottom of the bowl for any burned-on spices and add the remaining ingredients, except the thickener. Lock the lid and steam valve in place. Set to Pressure Cook/High/35 minutes. Leave to natural release for 10 minutes then quick release.
• Remove one cup of the broth and add the thickener of choice. Stir to remove any lumps. Pour back into the stew and set to sauté. Cook until thickened. (See notes).

THERMAL METHOD

• Season the beef with paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the beef, onion, garlic, bacon, and chorizo (in batches if the pan is not big enough) until browned on all sides. Pour into the slow cooker. (See notes). If cooking on the stovetop, brown the beef in a large cast iron pot and add the remaining ingredients to the pot after browning the beef.
• Add the remainder of the ingredients, except the thickener. Slow cook 4 hrs/98°C/reverse/stir. Extend cooking as needed.
• To thicken the stew, pour the broth into a saucepan and add the thickener. Whisk to combine and simmer over medium heat until it thickens. Add to the stew and stir to combine. (See notes).

Video

Notes

Slow Cooker Tips

Some slow cookers or crockpots have the ability to sauté built into them make this a one pot beef stew recipe. If yours does not just follow the instructions to brown in a skillet. Same with the option to turn up the heat for thickening. 

Pressure Cooker Tips

Make sure to follow any manufacturer’s recommendations for pressure cooking. This recipe has been tested in an Instant Pot. If you have a tough piece of beef that is not tender after cooking, then you can add more time under pressure as needed or sauté until the beef softens.

Thermal Cooker Tips

The size and cut of the beef can affect the cooking times needed. Extend the time until the beef has softened. This recipe is suitable for all Thermomix® models and can be used with the Slow Cook function. A blade cover is not needed for this recipe when the reverse speed is in use.

If making beef stew in a Magimix Cook Expert use the slow cook function or set the times and temperatures specified in this recipe. The beef can be browned in the Cook Expert using the stir fry setting before slow cooking.

Thickeners 

If you are not low carb 1 tablespoon of arrowroot powder, plain flour or cornstarch will thicken this recipe. This can be replaced with 1 tablespoon hemp seeds, or 1/4-1/2 teaspoons of glucomannan powder.

The ratio for xanthan gum to liquid is 1/8 teaspoon per cup of liquid. I ALWAYS exercise caution and err on the side of less is more with thickeners. The sauce will also thicken with resting. If you have over-thickened, add more stock to thin the sauce out.

Extra vegetables can be added to the stew to thicken it. 

Protein Choices

I use chuck steak for stewing. You can use blade, gravy beef, lamb neck chops or any of your preferred “stewing” meats. The quality and age of the cow before slaughter can affect the properties of the meat. More time may be required than the recipe states. If your beef is not tender after the suggested cooking then extend the time until it is. Fresh chorizo sausage can be used instead of dried if preferred.

This recipe yields approximately 4-6 servings. The actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes. 

 

To calculate the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe by 4-6. The result will be the weight of one serving. 

Nutritional values shown are guidelines only. They are for 1 serving using the ingredients listed. 

 

All recipes have been tested using all of the cooking methods included by various recipe testers.

The recipe card instructions contain the most basic of steps and a list of ingredients. If you have any queries, questions, or are unsure of substitutions, please scroll up to the blog post for more information.

Your Own Notes

Click here to add your own private recipe notes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serve (complete with 1 dumpling) | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 368mg | Potassium: 679mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2287IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 3mg | Magnesium: 32mg | Net Carbs: 5g

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