Low FODMAP Beef Stew (Instant Pot / Slow Cooker)

If you're craving something warm and hearty, this Low FODMAP Beef Stew is sure to do the trick. Made in either the Instant Pot or a slow cooker, this Low FODMAP Beef Stew features tender beef and veggies stewed in a flavorful, silky broth. In addition to being low FODMAP, this beef stew recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.

Jump to:

• Are green frozen peas low FODMAP?
• Instant Pot OR Slow Cooker Recipes
• Homemade Beef Stew vs. Canned
• Necessary Equipment
• Ingredients & Method
• Related Recipes
• Low FODMAP Beef Stew (Instant Pot / Slow Cooker)

Are green frozen peas low FODMAP?

Green peas are the most concerning ingredient in this recipe as they are at the maximum amount of GOS per serving listed by Monash University's Low FODMAP Diet App. The recommended serving size is 1 tablespoon, and this recipe calls for ½ cup of peas total. At 8, 1 ⅛ cup servings, you're getting approximately 1 tablespoon of peas per serving. Luckily, Monash creates these serving sizes with a bit of wiggle room with the assumption that people will eat more than the recommended serving size.

If you think you might want more than one serving of this stew or know you react poorly to the GOS FODMAP, you could choose to leave them out. They're nice to have as they bring more texture, nutrients and color to the stew, but peas are not a vital ingredient in making this beef stew recipe awesome.

Per Monash, peas also contain the FODMAP fructans, but when eaten in combination with other ingredients containing fructans (tomato paste), only bring you to about 68% of the tolerable amount for fructans.

Instant Pot OR Slow Cooker Recipes

My favorite kitchen gadget is, without question: the Instant Pot. However, from this point forward, a lot of (but not all) the Instant Pot recipes I'll be posting will also include slow cooker instructions. Most Instant Pot recipes are easily adaptable for the slow cooker anyway, so it's really not a big deal. I would like my recipes to be accessible to more people, and slow cookers / Crock-Pots are a very common, affordable kitchen appliance. If the Instant Pot isn't your thing, now you have options.

Homemade Beef Stew vs. Canned

Before developing this Low FODMAP Beef Stew recipe, I'm honestly not sure I've ever had homemade beef stew. I used to eat a lot of canned soups and stews and had canned beef stew plenty of times, never thinking it was anything special. I make this homemade low FODMAP beef stew, and BAM! Amazing! My husband, Jeff, and I were both floored at how good it actually is. It's also so comforting and warm, perfect for feeling cozy on a cold or rainy day.

So, if you've never made your own beef stew and are skeptical about how it might turn out - take my word for it and make this. You won't be sorry, I promise. The beef and veggies practically melt in your mouth, and the umami flavor created from the broth ingredients makes each and every spoonful a delight to eat.

There is a lot of debate in the Paleo community as to whether peas are okay to consume on the Paleo Diet. I'm not a doctor or nutritionist, but I find peas to be tolerable at low amounts and an enjoyable green vegetable. If you're strict Paleo, omit the peas. If not (like me), please enjoy.

Necessary Equipment

Low FODMAP Instant Pot Beef Stew:

• 6-quart Instant Pot, 8-quart Instant Pot, or comparable electric pressure cooker
• Tongs
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Plastic spoon for sautéing / scraping
• Plastic spoon for stirring
• Large plate
• Spatula
• Small measuring cup or bowl
• Whisk or fork
• Hot pad
• Ladle

Low FODMAP Slow Cooker Beef Stew:

• Slow Cooker (I use an older model of this 6-quart Crock-Pot)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Large skillet
• Tongs
• Heat-resistant spatula
• Small measuring cup or bowl
• Whisk or fork
• Stirring spoon
• Ladle

Ingredients & Method

I'm not going to go into tons of detail here as there is plenty of detail in the recipe card below. However, here are a few bullet points to note when making this beef stew:

Beef

• You can buy a boneless beef chuck roast and cut it up, or you can buy precut stew meat. I typically just get the precut stew meat as it is typically the right quantity and easier to prepare.
• The first step is to season and sauté the meat to seal in the spices. I typically grab 3-4 pieces of beef at a time with tongs to make this process faster.

Garlic-Infused Olive Oil

• To give the stew some garlicy flavor without actual garlic, which is high in FODMAPs, I add 2 tablespoons of garlic-infused olive oil to sear the meat. Then, I add an additional 1 tablespoon of oil to soften the leek as the meat soaks up the oil.
• If the meat starts to burn while searing, add some additional oil.

Leek, Dark Green Leaves Only

• To give the recipe oniony flavor without the onion, I use 1 cup of leek, using the dark green parts of the leek only for low FODMAP.
• When finely chopped, the dark green part of the leek does need a bit of softening, but not nearly as much as say, a white onion. Keep an eye on it while sautéing to prevent burning.

Low Sodium, Low FODMAP Beef Broth

• Once the saluting is over, I pour in 1 cup of beef broth to scrape the bottom of the pot (or skillet if cooking in the slow cooker). Once done scraping, I add an additional 2 cups of broth to the Instant Pot. When using the slow cooker, I add the contents of the pan and the extra two cups of broth directly to the slow cooker.
• I use my own homemade beef broth recipe or store-bought Imagine Low Sodium Beef Broth.

Umami, Seasonings & Produce

• To enhance umami flavor and add acidity to the stew, I add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste to the broth. I also add 1 tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce or tamari sauce to the stew.
• To season the stew, I use my Low FODMAP Italian seasoning mix recipe. Many store-bought Italian seasoning mixes are low FODMAP, so feel free to use a store-bought mix instead.
• To further season the stew, I add dried oregano leaves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. This is an additional amount of salt and pepper to what's already been sprinkled on the meat in the beginning.
• Once the seasonings have been added, I add the meat to the pot/slow cooker being sure to scrape any remaining juices from the plate with a spatula into the broth. I also add the carrots and potatoes and stir everything with a spoon to coat.

Slurry & Peas

• After the stew is done cooking, to thicken the broth, I whisk together 2 teaspoons of tapioca flour with 2 teaspoons of cold water in a small bowl or measuring cup to make a slurry. While stirring the stew slowly while it's still bubbling (either via the Sauté function on the Instant Pot or while the stew is still cooking in the slow cooker), I pour in the slurry and stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the broth thickens. If you prefer a thicker broth, add additional teaspoons of tapioca flour and water in equal amounts until you achieve your desired thickness.
• After removing the inner pot from the heat or turning off the slow cooker, I stir in the frozen peas. The peas will cook using the residual heat from the broth. As I mentioned above, if you eat strictly Paleo or are concerned that you may eat more than one serving of this stew (for low FODMAP), feel free to omit the peas.

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