This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
This keto beef stew is the ultimate hearty and comfort food that is full of flavor but with zero carbs! This version substitutes potatoes with jicama but you’d never tell!
When it comes to cozy and comforting keto dinners, my favorite recipes to make are chicken soup, taco casserole, and this keto beef stew.
Whenever the weather cools down and the sun sets earlier, my body craves all the comfort foods (like my favorite meatloaf) and thinks it is going into hibernation.
A beef stew is the epitome of healthy comfort food.
Now, a traditional beef stew would typically use plenty of potatoes but as they aren’t keto friendly, we use a fabulous substitute- Jicama! I’ve used this vegetable to make jicama fries and loved how much they reminded me of potatoes.
Why this keto beef stew recipe will have you mesmerized-
- Simple ingredients. No hard to find cuts of beef or obscure herbs and spices- just easy and affordable ingredients!
- One pot dish. Whether you cook this in a Dutch oven (like my Dutch oven beef stew), slow cooker, or instant pot, there is just one dish that makes a mess.
- Healthy and nutritious. It’s full of fresh vegetables and has no added fats or sugar.
- Customizable. Don’t have carrots or jicama on hand? Rutabagas and sweets are other low carb root vegetables that also can be used!
What I love about this keto stew is how delicious it continues to taste even a week after you cook it. Leftovers taste incredible and you can freeze batches for an easy weeknight dinner or when you can’t be bothered making something from scratch.
How do you make keto beef stew?
The Ingredients
- Beef chuck roast– Often referred to as stewing beef, this is the best cut of beef to use for stews or soups. Slice your beef into thicker chunks instead of bite-sized pieces, so that it will keep better flavor.
- Salt and pepper– To coat the beef in before adding it to the stew.
- Coconut flour or almond flour– Either almond or coconut flour is used to lightly dust the beef to brown the beef better and also enhance the flavor of the sauce.
- Olive oil– While any oil works, the olive variety is the most flavorful and the best to use in stews.
- Stewing vegetables– Onion, garlic, carrots, and jicama.
- Beef broth– Choose one with no added sugar or salt.
- Tomato paste– Just a small amount to give a flavor hit.
- Worcestershire sauce– A must for any recipe using beef.
- Bay leaf– Adds an extra layer of flavor and fabulous aroma.
The Instructions
Start by preparing the beef. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then dust it in almond or coconut flour. Next, heat the oil in a large dutch oven or pot and place it over medium heat. Once hot, brown the beef on all sides, then remove it from the pot and set it aside. Add the onions, garlic, and carrots and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onion starts to soften. Add the jicama, beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring everything to a simmer before adding the beef back in, along with the bay leaf.
Now, take the dutch oven/pot off the heat, add the bay leaf, and cover it. Transfer it to a preheated oven and let everything cook for two hours. Remove the bay leaf and serve immediately.
Slow cooker and instant pot instructions
Easily make this dish in the slow cooker or instant pot, if you own either of them.
- Slow cooker beef stew– Season the beef and cook it in a non-stick pan until it has browned. Place it into a slow cooker, followed by the remaining ingredients. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
- Instant pot beef stew– Season the beef, then add the oil into the instant pot. Using the saute function, cook the meat until it has browned on all sides. Add the remaining ingredients, close the lid, and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Let the stew sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Remove visible chunks of fat from the beef, as it can make the stew gritty and the beef chewy.
- Be sure to use a good quality beef broth to ensure it enhances the beef flavor, not detract from it. If in doubt, you can always use vegetable stock.
- If you don’t own a Dutch oven, you can use a deep oven-proof skillet instead.
Storing, freezing, and reheating instructions
- To store: Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to one week.
- To freeze: Place the cooled stew in a freezer friendly container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Reheating: Microwave them for 30-40 second spurts or reheat in a small saucepan.
What to serve with keto stew
Like any wonderful stew, the best things to serve with it are toasted bread or rolls to dip. Here are some fabulous keto bread options to try.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best low carb substitutes for potatoes are jicama, rutabaga, or swedes. These have the same starchy texture but much less net carbs.
Carrots are suitable on a keto diet provided they are eaten in moderation. This recipe uses just one large carrot which has 7 grams net carbs.
Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves are two vital ingredients when enhancing the flavor. Soy sauce or tamari are also good options.
Keto Beef Stew
Video
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef chuck roast cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour or almond flour
- 1/2 large onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large carrot chopped into large chunks
- 2 medium jicama diced into 2-inch pieces
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170C/325F.
- In a small bowl, add the beef chunks, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Add the coconut flour and gently toss it together.
- Add the oil to a large Dutch oven or a deep skillet and place it over medium heat. Add the seasoned beef and cook for 3-4 minutes, until no longer brown. Remove the beef and set it aside.
- Add the garlic, onion, carrots, and jicama and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the onion and garlic are fragrant. Add the remaining ingredients, except the beef, and bring to a boil. Once it begins to boil, add the beef and let it simmer for several minutes.
- Remover the Dutch oven off the heat and cover it. Place it in the oven for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until the beef is tender.
- Remove the bay leaf and serve immediately.
This stew is something I could get down with for sure!!!! and Irish Stew at a club?! Uh, no.
I know, right? And they wondered why they failed….
We can serve this at our wedding! LOL!
For our guest. WE shall be having shawarma!
ANY chance there is to celebrate any day and I’m all over it 🙂 this stew looks absolutely amazing – great pictures!! What a delicious hearty looking stew and thanks to your mom for the inspiration!!
Thanks heaps, Chelsea!
Haha stew at a club. That’s super random and I love it. I haven’t been to a club in years. Sadly, I think I’m past the stage in my life of thinking that sounds fun. This stew, however, looks like a lot of fun.
Thanks buddy! So random and a FAILURE on their part!
I don’t see green beans listed on the ingredient list. Did I miss something? I love stew! How much Green Beans did you add? Thanks….and sorry if I missed it.
Argh! I’m sorry I think I left it out! I’ll add it now, literally just a handful 🙂
thanks! And you still add some mushrooms? It’s not in the directions. Sorry, I just want it to turn out perfectly!
Sorry Beth! I’m so silly with forgetting recipes! yes! either mushrooms or beans or both! 🙂
How delightful that you used coconut flour as a thickener here. You genius, you!! Thanks for thinking of your herby friends and giving us your permish to add all the legumies 😉
Oh geebuz I read that as ‘hairy friends’. Thanks a lot.
My grandmother had those very same bowls!! Man, they bring back memories.
I love a good stew. My mom used to make a beef stew all the time growing up, and I always ate my way around the meat. Ha, even back then.
Remind me again why I don’t have a slow cooker? Because you can’t make desserts in them. Or wait, you can. Fails. I’ve been meaning to do it for yeas and years now, and one day I WILL get one. Maybe this fall. Or next fall. We’ll see.
OMG I only found that out recently when I saw a slow cooker BROWNIE recipe. WTF.
Let’s go slow cooker shopping together
This is almost identical to how I make beef stew. It is so easy and the leftovers are the best!
So good, right? I love leftovers!
A bar in my university town served stew on St. Patrick’s Day too. I opted out and had post-bar falafels and hummus with pita instead. The stew was left on a table somewhere and I didn’t trust that no one had puked in it lol.
I do love beef stew though – this one looks similar to mine except I add potatoes to mine too!
Oh man, you’ve got me craving falafels now…Although I loved the ones where you got shawarma meat WITH chips in it.
I totally omitted the potatoes to call it paleo. :p
I love everything about this dish, like everything. It’s so legit!
Cheers, mate!
Great recipe. In one place at the beginning you say zero carbs but in the macros you say 3 carbs. I’m confused. Also, how much is a serving? One cup? One and a quarter cup? This is scrumptious
Hahah I like your parties 🙂 “They remixed ‘K Pop’ into David Guetta and served prawn cracker cocktails.” — LOL i would go to there, tequila and all 🙂 This stew looks amazing, and now that I’ve been staring at the photos for the last 5 mins, it’s exactly what I’m wanting for dinner
I AM MESSAGING you right now.
This looks like my husbands ideal meal!
Our city is big on St Patrick’s Day, as we are only over the water from Dublin. I would love to spend the actual day there though – they know how to party!
Oh wow- I hope you do a recap, that sounds amazing!
So good to finally see a St. Patrick’s day recipe that’s actually slightly reminiscent of what we eat rather than weird green stuff (we don’t eat weird green things for St. Patrick’s day, oh Americans…).
One tiny little criticism though – never say St. Patty’s day! The short form is actually St. Paddy’s day. To us Patty is an American woman’s name (think the Simpsons) or an uncooked burger (gross). Someone made a website about the error last year which is hilarious! https://paddynotpatty.com/
Haha, I know, right- Adding ‘green’ suddenly means Irish!
Thanks for letting me know! I didn’t even realise that!
Perfect for St. Patty’s day coming up! My husband saw this over my shoulder and asked “what is that?!? Make that!!” LOL
Hahahaha be a good wife and make it for him!
Until 5 minutes ago I was wondering what kind of slow cooker dish I should cook tomorrow. Now I know 😉
We’re not well known for themed party’s here. The crazies club party I’ve been to was on Valentine’s Day. Everyone got a mobile – a Nokia 3210 – and a heart shaped badge with the phone number on it and you could send flirty text messages to each other. The end of the story: no one danced at all, people called friends and family abroad and the party failed miserably. Who didn’t see that coming….
I am so stoked you tried it out! 😀
Hahahaha that is the best thing ever. EVER
Haha cracking up that a club would serve this…I mean after a few drinks, I don’t mind a shawarma so if it’s cold outside, I wouldn’t mind tucking into a bowl of this! As much as I would love to keep in the beef, unfortunately my grandmother would have a sh1t fit if I tried cooking beef at home- will have to try it sans the good stuff..although I am sure it will still taste pretty amazing!
YES. Shawarma which is extra greasy and chips hidden inside…
Oh I forgot that! Definitely omit the beef then 😉
OMG that looks so tasty! Majorly craving beef now – thanks a lot 😉
Always 😉
Haha! Ohhh clubs…. giving it the ole college try to lure people in. fail. This soup though…not a fail at all. NOM.
Thanks Druga!
The only time I ever saw anything Irish related in Scotland was when I was at university. Guinness ran an offer where if you bought 6 pints within the day you got a Guinness hat… David did it once… It wasn’t worth it :-S
Other than that every St Patrick’s day comes and goes here and no one even realises!
Oh God 6 pints!
you’re killing me bro! come make us this, we need BEEF!
YES! Come over for some!
Ooh this looks good, and I haven’t made something like it in a while. Very hungry now!
It’s so delicious!
I LOVE beef stew, and this recipe is making me hungry! P.
You’re welcome to come to Australia- I have some in my freezer!
Hearty is an understatement, this looks so darn comforting!!! Pinning now 🙂
Thanks so much, Sonali!
I’m a meat and potatoes gal, so the thicker the better! In fact, it needs to be so damn thick that I am choking from a clogged throat after each spoonful.
That is exactly how I love my soup too!
What is UP with those clubs down there in Australia? Serving Irish Stew at a club? Ummm…I hope they didn’t spend a lot of money on marketing there. And the Easter egg hunt just cracked me up. I can only imagine what other screw-ups occur for other holidays. I mean, Valentine’s Day means Cupid. Cupid means babies and sharp arrows. I don’t see any trouble arising here at all, do you? But this stew? That’s a guaranteed winner! Nothing beats a good hearty beef stew…especially when Nicki Manaj is playing in the background.
Great. I now picture Nicki Minaj whenever I eat this stew which just between us….has been breakfast the last few days.
I’m excited to see what said club does for St.Patty’s this year….
Chicago LOVES celebrating random holidays!! For St. Patrick’s Day, we turn the Chicago River green, have a parade, and drink green beer.
That recipe has “winter comfort food” written all over it! I love slow cooker recipes!
WHAT! No way! I need to google this, it sounds amazing….I would totally swim in it!