Tailored for the cold, winter months of the fall or early New Year, this Low Carb Beef Stew is not only carb-conscious but also convenient for busy lifestyles. Whether you prefer the swift efficiency of an Instant Pot or the set-it-and-forget-it ease of a slow cooker, this Keto beef stew recipe delivers the cozy, warming benefits of traditional beef stew with minimal effort and carbs and maximum flavor and coziness. In addition to being low carb and Keto, this beef stew is also low FODMAP (IBS-friendly), Whole30, and gluten-free.
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Why Keto, Low Carb, and Low FODMAP Beef Stew?
Beef stew is a winter staple at our house, and my more traditional Low FODMAP Beef Stew (Instant Pot / Slow Cooker) recipe is typically on our weekly dinner rotation during the cooler months.
However, when I was having trouble keeping my blood sugar stable due to reactive hypoglycemia, this recipe, while delicious and comforting, contains high carb potatoes and peas that are not ideal for managing blood sugar symptoms.
Due to my love of my Low Carb Pot Roast, Vegetables, and Gravy (Instant Pot / Slow Cooker) recipe I posted about a year ago, I decided to create a Keto beef stew recipe that's essentially this low carb pot roast recipe in a bowl. The result this this cozy, warming beef stew that's more blood sugar-friendly and low FODMAP while maintaining amazing flavor and comfort.
This low carb beef stew actually a simpler recipe to make and may be even more delicious than the traditional, higher carb beef stew recipe, in my opinion.
Equipment
This Low Carb Beef Stew is made flavorful and tender in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. The stew will be ready in about an hour when using an Instant Pot and 6-8 hours when using a slow cooker. The equipment I use to make it in the slow cooker includes:
Low Carb Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker:
- Slow cooker - I use an older model of this 6-quart Crock-Pot
- Stovetop
- Large skillet
- Heat-resistant spatula
- Plus, all of the equipment listed in the "Remaining Equipment" list below.
Low Carb Beef Stew in the Instant Pot:
- 6-quart Instant Pot, 8-quart Instant Pot, or comparable electric pressure cooker. I typically use my 8-quart for this recipe so I can sauté all the beef comfortably in one batch.
- Plastic spoon or spatula (I adore this Instant Pot spatula)
- Plus:
Remaining Equipment (for both the slow cooker and Instant Pot methods):
- Paper towels
- Large bowl
- Chopping board and knife
- Fine mesh sieve and sink for rinsing the canned mushrooms
- Vegetable peeler
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Large slotted spoon (ideally) or tongs
- Large stirring spoon
- Ladle, for serving
Ingredients
This Low Carb Beef Stew recipe calls for the following ingredients:
- Boneless beef chuck or beef stew meat, chopped into 1-inch cubes
- Garlic-infused olive oil (if eating low FODMAP) - if not needing low FODMAP, you can use regular extra-virgin olive oil and add 3 cloves of minced garlic during the last minute of sautéing the leek or onion.
- Leek, dark green leaves only (if eating low FODMAP), finely chopped - if you don't need low FODMAP, you can use the same amount of finely chopped white onion, sauteed until translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Low sodium beef broth, low FODMAP if needed (store-bought or homemade)
- Dried chives
- Dried thyme or fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Carrots, peeled and chopped into ¼-inch thick rounds
- Turnips, peeled and chopped into ½-inch pieces - check out my step-by-step guide on how to chop and peel turnips.
- Radish, bottom and tops removed, then quartered
- Canned sliced mushrooms, rinsed, drained, and patted dry
- Frozen cut green beans
- Xanthan gum (optional) - other thickeners, like tapioca flour or cornstarch, can be used, but you will need a larger quantity.
Method
The following photos and instructions illustrate how to make this Low Carb Beef Stew using the Instant Pot. Slow cooker instructions are included in the recipe card below, and the methods are fairly similar in principle.
Season Beef
Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Let it rest at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients. Seasoning with salt in advance helps the meat become super tender and seasoned all the way through.
Sauté Beef and Leeks
Hit "Sauté" on your 6-quart Instant Pot, 8-quart Instant Pot, or comparable electric pressure cooker. Once the display reads “Hot,” add 2 tablespoons of the garlic-infused olive oil to the pot and swirl the pot to coat. Using a large, slotted spoon (ideally) or tongs, add the beef to the pot in a single layer, and sauté for 1 minute per side (depending on the size of your Instant Pot, you may need to do this in batches). Remove sauteed beef back to the bowl and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of garlic- infused olive oil to the Instant Pot and swirl again to coat. Add the chopped leek and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Hit Cancel on the Instant Pot.
Deglaze and Add Ingredients
Add 1 cup of beef broth to the Instant Pot, wait about 15 seconds...
...and scrape the bottom of the pot clean with a plastic spoon or spatula (I use and adore this Instant Pot spatula).
Add the remaining 2 cups of beef broth, dried chives, thyme, kosher salt, and pepper to the pot and stir until combined.
Return beef to the pot, scraping any remaining juices and seasonings from the bowl into the pot with a spatula (leave no flavor behind!).
Add chopped carrots, turnips, radish, and canned mushrooms to the pot and stir until everything is coated in broth.
Pressure Cook
Close the Instant Pot lid and set the pressure release valve to "Sealing." Press the "Pressure Cook" or “Manual” button, and set the timer for 40 minutes.
Quick Release and Add Beans
Once the cooking cycle has completed, quick release the pressure. Open the lid.
Stir in the frozen green beans, which will cook in the stew’s residual heat.
Thicken the Broth (Optional)
I typically don't thicken the broth in this recipe as it tends to thicken as it stands and the turnips start to break down when the stew is stirred. Also, the more you stir the stew (which is required for thickening), the more the veggies will break down.
If you would like to thicken the broth, hit the “Sauté” button again and wait for the broth to start boiling. While gently and slowly stirring, slowly sprinkle the xanthan gum over the bubbling broth. Continue to stir until broth thickens, about 30 seconds. Hit Cancel on the Instant Pot.
Taste and Serve
After the stew has cooled for a few minutes, carefully taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Ladle the broth into bowls and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a really tricky question! It depends on what you're substituting as not all vegetables hold up as well as the ones I've chosen when pressure cooked or slow cooked. Depending on what you substitute, you may end up with mush. Also, if eating low FODMAP, you would want to make sure the FODMAPs any veggies you add do not stack with the FODMAPs of the veggies you end up adding to the stew. The ingredients in my low FODMAP recipes are carefully selected to avoid FODMAP stacking. If eating low carb, you'll obviously want to stick with veggies that are lower in carbs.
This is a technique I recently learned from the cookbook Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat. Salting meat and leaving it at room temp for awhile makes it more tender while allowing the salt to permeate the entire way through. That way, each piece of beef is seasoned all the way through and not just on the surface. This makes a huge difference in tenderness and flavor. If you don't have time to wait, however, just season the beef and leave it at room temperature while you chop and prepare the remaining ingredients. This will still help to make the beef more tender and flavorful.
I always brown the meat as it adds flavor, but it's not 100% necessary to achieve a tasty stew.
Yes, you can use other thickeners, like tapioca starch (my go-to) or cornstarch, but you will need a larger quantity. I've listed xanthan gum as a thickener as it is low carb, but I typically don't bother to thicken this stew at all as it thickens as it stands and as the turnips break down as it's stirred.
Absolutely! Portion it out and freeze for convenient, keto-friendly meals. Thaw frozen stew overnight in the refrigerator prior to reheating.
Low Carb Beef Stew (Instant Pot / Slow Cooker)
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This winter-perfect Low Carb Beef Stew is low-carb, nutrient-rich, and convenient for busy days. Ideal for the slow cooker or Instant Pot, it's cozy, flavorful, and fits Keto, low FODMAP, Whole30, and gluten-free diets.
Ingredients
- 1-1 ½ pounds boneless beef stew meat, chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil*
- 1 cup leek, dark green leaves only, finely chopped*
- 3 cups low sodium beef broth, low FODMAP if needed (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons dried chives
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling
- ¾ pound turnips (about 1 large), peeled and chopped into ½-inch pieces*
- ½ pound carrots (about 2 large), peeled and chopped into ¼-inch thick rounds
- ½ pound radish (about 10-12 large), bottom and tops removed, then quartered
- ½ cup canned sliced mushrooms, rinsed, drained, and patted dry*
- 1 cup frozen cut green beans
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Season beef: Before starting to prepare your ingredients, dry and season beef with kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste. Allow seasoned beef to sit at room temperature while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- Sauté beef: Hit "Sauté" on your 6-quart Instant Pot, 8-quart Instant Pot, or comparable electric pressure cooker. Once the display reads “Hot,” add 2 tablespoons of the garlic-infused olive oil to the pot and swirl the pot to coat. Using a large, slotted spoon (ideally) or tongs, add the beef to the pot in a single layer, and sauté for 1 minute per side (depending on the size of your Instant Pot, you may need to do this in batches). Remove sauteed beef back to the bowl and set aside.
- Sauté leeks: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of garlic-infused oil to the Instant Pot and swirl again to coat. Add the chopped leek and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Deglaze: Hit “Cancel” on the Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of beef broth to the Instant Pot, wait about 15 seconds, and scrape the bottom of the pot clean with a plastic spoon or spatula (I use and adore this Instant Pot spatula).
- Add ingredients: Add the remaining 2 cups of beef broth, dried chives, thyme, kosher salt, and pepper to the pot and stir until combined.
- Return beef to the pot, scraping any remaining juices and seasonings from the bowl into the pot with a spatula (leave no flavor behind!).
- Add chopped turnips, carrots, radish, and canned mushrooms to the pot and stir until everything is coated in broth.
- Pressure Cook: Close the Instant Pot lid and set the pressure release valve to "Sealing." Press the "Pressure Cook" or “Manual” button and set the timer for 40 minutes.
- Quick release: Once the cooking cycle has completed, quick release the pressure. Open the lid.
- Add beans: Stir in the frozen green beans, which will cook in the stew’s residual heat.
- Thicken (optional – see note): If you would like to thicken the broth, hit the “Sauté” button again and wait for the broth to start boiling. While gently and slowly stirring, slowly sprinkle the xanthan gum over the bubbling broth. Continue to stir until broth thickens, about 30 seconds. Hit "Cancel" on the Instant Pot.
- Taste and serve: After the stew has cooled for a few minutes, carefully taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Ladle the broth into bowls and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Season beef: Before starting to prepare your ingredients, dry and season beef with kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste. Allow seasoned beef to sit at room temperature while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- Sauté beef: Place a large skillet on the stovetop on medium high heat. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons of the garlic-infused olive oil and swirl the skillet to coat in oil. Using a large, slotted spoon (ideally) or tongs, add beef and sear for 1 minute per side. Remove beef back to the bowl and set bowl aside.
- Sauté leeks: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of garlic-infused olive oil to the skillet and swirl to coat. Add leek and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Deglaze and transfer: Pour 1 cup of broth into the skillet and scrape up anything on the bottom of the pan. Remove the skillet from heat and carefully pour or ladle contents into a slow cooker (I use this 6-quart Crock-Pot), using a heat-resistant spatula to scrape every piece of broth and leek into the slow cooker.
- Add ingredients: Add the remaining 2 cups of broth into the slow cooker as well as the dried chives, thyme, kosher salt, and pepper and stir until combined.
- Add beef to the slow cooker, scraping any remaining juices and seasoning from the bowl into the slow cooker with a spatula (leave no flavor behind!).
- Add chopped turnips, carrots, radish, and canned mushrooms to the slow cooker and stir until everything is coated in broth. Place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Slow cook: Set timer for 6-8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
- Add beans: Once the cooking time is finished, remove the lid. Stir in the frozen green beans, which will cook in the stew’s residual heat.
- Thicken (optional – see note): If you would like to thicken the broth, while the broth is still bubbling in the slow cooker, gently and slowly stir the stew while slowly sprinkling the stew with the xanthan gum. Continue to stir until broth thickens, about 30 seconds.
- Taste and serve: Turn the slow cooker off. After the stew has cooled for a few minutes, carefully taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Ladle the broth into bowls and serve.
Notes
- Garlic-infused olive oil: if not needing low FODMAP, you can use the same amount of extra virgin olive oil and add 3 cloves of minced fresh garlic during the last minute of the sauté of the leek or onion.
- Leek greens: if not needing low FODMAP, you can use the same quantity of finely chopped yellow or white onion, and sauté until translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Turnips: for a step-by-step guide on how to peel and chop turnips, see my Low FODMAP Low Carb Pot Roast, Vegetables, and Gravy post.
- Canned mushrooms: if not needing low FODMAP, you can also use the same quantity of fresh sliced white button mushrooms.
- Thicken: while you can thicken the broth a bit using xanthan gum, I typically don’t find it necessary as the broth thickens as it stands and the turnips break down. If you do decide to thicken it, keep in mind that the more the broth is stirred (required for thickening), the more the vegetables will break apart.
- Servings: Makes about 8 cups, enough for eight 1 cup servings or six 1 ⅓ cup servings. A serving of 1 ⅓ cups brings you to about 91% tolerable amount per serving for the FODMAP sorbitol per Monash University's Low FODMAP Diet App current data on turnips and green beans.
- Cooking times reflect that for the Instant Pot version only.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soups and Stews
- Method: Instant Pot / Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
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Disclaimer: This recipe is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or dietary advice. The author is not a medical professional. Nutrition info is an estimate and can vary depending on ingredients and preparation. We follow current guidelines for special diets like low FODMAP, Keto, and Paleo at the time of initial publication, but individual tolerance varies and research is always evolving. It’s up to each reader to check ingredient labels, stay informed with the latest research, and consult their doctor to make informed choices based on their individual needs. Storage times are general recommendations—always follow safe food handling practices. See our Terms of Use for more details.
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