There is nothing quite like a hearty, simmering stew to warm you up, and this Keto Beef Stew delivers all the deep, savory comfort you crave without the high-carb potatoes. By using radish and rutabaga as low-carb root vegetable substitutes, this recipe achieves the perfect texture and bulk. Furthermore, the beef chuck is browned first to lock in the flavor before being slow-cooked in a rich beef stock for hours. This slow cooker beef stew low carb recipe is the definition of easy, satisfying keto comfort food.
Ingredients for a Savory Keto Stew
- Beef chuck stew meat: Cubed. Browning the meat before slow cooking is essential for achieving deep flavor.
- Salt and Pepper: Used to season the meat before and during the cooking process generously.
- Radish, Rutabaga, Baby carrots, Celery hearts, Yellow onion: A mix of low-carb root vegetables and aromatics that replace potatoes and traditional bulk vegetables.
- Tomato paste: Adds a rich, concentrated, savory depth (umami) to the broth.
- Italian seasoning, Chili powder, Paprika, Celery seed, and Rosemary: A powerhouse blend of spices and herbs that gives the stew its classic, comforting flavor.
- Garlic: Minced; adds a critical savory and aromatic layer.
- Bay leaves: Infused into the broth during the slow cook to add a subtle herbal dimension.
- Beef stock: Provides the necessary liquid for the slow cooker and creates the base for the rich sauce.
- Xanthan gum: A powerful low-carb thickener used at the end to achieve a perfect, hearty stew consistency.
How to Make Keto Beef Stew
This recipe uses a quick browning step on the stovetop to maximize flavor, followed by a long, slow cook, and a simple thickening step at the very end.
1. Prep and Browning
This initial phase develops a deep flavor that cannot be achieved by just adding the meat raw to the slow cooker.
- Prep Vegetables: To prep, cut up all the vegetables. Radish, rutabaga (carrots if whole), celery, and yellow onion into one-inch pieces.
- Prep Meat: Also cut up the beef chuck (for easier cutting, place in freezer for 30 mins to firm up).
- Brown Meat: In a heavy-bottomed skillet, place your cubed meat and season with salt and pepper over medium-high heat brown all sides of the meat. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
- Sauté Onion: Remove the meat from the pan and add the onions, and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan.
2. Slow Cooking and Thickening
The slow cooker takes over here, tenderizing the meat and softening the hearty vegetables.
- Assemble: Set your crockpot/slow cooker to low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Add your vegetables: radish, rutabaga, carrots, celery, and onions.
- Season: Season with tomato paste, Italian seasoning, chili powder, paprika, celery seed, chopped garlic, rosemary 2 bay leaves.
- Cook: Pour beef stock over the top of the pot, stir, add the lid, and cook.
- Thicken: Once one hour is left, remove a cup of the juices from the crockpot and let cool. Add 1 tsp of xanthan gum, mix very well, and pour back into the beef stew mix and finish cooking for the last hour.
Recipe Notes and Serving Suggestions
- Browning: Beef chuck stew meat: Do not skip the browning step! It adds an incredible layer of deep, savory flavor through the Maillard reaction.
- Thickener: Xanthan gum: It is crucial to let the liquid cool before adding the xanthan gum; otherwise, it will clump immediately and not thicken smoothly. Whisk vigorously.
- Serving: Rutabaga and radish: The rutabaga will soften and become potato-like, and the radish loses its peppery bite during the long cook time, perfectly mimicking the texture of potatoes.
- Storage: Leftovers are excellent and can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The flavor only improves the next day!
Prep Time
25 minutes
Cook Time
8 hours
Total Time
8 hours 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 lb. beef chuck stew meat, cubed into 1″ pieces
- 1 tbs salt
- 1 tbs pepper
- 16 oz. radish
- 1 medium sized rutabaga
- 8 oz. baby carrots
- 3 celery hearts
- 1 medium sized yellow onion
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 tsp rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups of beef stalk
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
Instructions
- Prep & Brown: Cut vegetables and beef into 1-inch pieces. Season and brown the cubed meat in a skillet over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes. Remove. Sauté onions for 1-2 minutes and remove.
- Assemble: Set the slow cooker to low 8 hours or high 4 hours. Add vegetables, onions, and all spices (tomato paste through bay leaves). Add beef and stir. Pour beef stalk over top.
- Thicken: With 1 hour left, remove 1 cup of juice and let it cool. Add 1 tsp of xanthan gum and mix very well. Pour back into the stew, stir, and finish cooking for the last hour.
Notes
- Browning: Do not skip browning the beef chuck; this builds the deepest flavor.
- Xanthan gum: Let the broth cool before adding the thickener to prevent clumping.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
per serving
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 450Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 10gCarbohydrates: 12gNet Carbohydrates: 7gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 40g