Low Carb Beef Stew Recipe

This Low Carb Beef Stew Recipe is a tender and rich recipe, which features chuck steak and zucchini. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 2 hours.

Low Carb Beef Stew Recipe Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1.5 lb chuck steak (700g), cut into cubes and room temperature
• 1 small onion (2.5oz / 70g), chopped
• 2 celery ribs (2.8oz / 80g), chopped
• 2 carrots (5.3oz / 150g), sliced
• 2 zucchini (14.1oz / 400g), chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cup beef stock (480ml)
• ½ cup red wine (120ml), or more beef stock
• 1.5 tablespoon coconut aminos or 1 tablespoon soya sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley and thyme to serve

How To Make Low Carb Beef Stew Recipe

1. Season the beef: Season the beef well with salt and pepper.
2. Sear the meat: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven and sear the meat for 5 minutes or until browned from all sides. Don’t move around during cooking and don’t crowd the pan. Do this in 2 batches if necessary. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Sauté the vegetables: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook the onions, carrot, celery, zucchini, and herbs on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 further minute.
4. Simmer the stew: Return the meat to the pan and add the tomato puree, coconut aminos, red wine, stock, and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover to cook for 1 hour 30 minutes.
5. Thicken the sauce: Adjust seasoning to taste and discard the bay leaves. Remove ¾ cup of vegetables and juice (pick out any beef) and puree using a hand stick blender until smooth. Add back to pan and stir. This thickens the stew without flour.
6. Serve: Serve hot garnished with fresh parsley and thyme.

Recipe Tips

• Thickening without flour: Traditional stew uses flour to thicken the gravy, which adds carbs. This recipe uses a clever trick: removing a portion of the cooked vegetables and liquid, blending them until smooth, and stirring them back in. This creates a rich, velvety sauce with zero extra carbs.
• Why use Zucchini?: Zucchini is the secret weapon here. When cooked down, it absorbs the beef flavor and mimics the texture of soft potatoes, bulking up the stew without the starch.
• Carrots on Keto?: While carrots are higher in sugar than leafy greens, the amount used here (2 carrots across 5 servings) is minimal and fits perfectly within low-carb macros while adding essential sweetness to the broth.
• Meat Selection: Use a fatty cut like chuck roast (chuck steak). Lean cuts like round steak will become dry and tough during the long simmer. The fat in the chuck breaks down to make the meat fork-tender.
• Coconut Aminos: This ingredient adds a savory “umami” depth similar to soy sauce but with a hint of sweetness that balances the acidity of the wine and tomatoes.

What To Serve With Low Carb Beef Stew Recipe

While this stew is a complete meal in a bowl, it pairs well with keto-friendly sides.

• Mashed cauliflower (to mimic mashed potatoes)
• Keto dinner rolls or almond flour biscuits
• Steamed green beans
• A fresh green salad with vinaigrette

How To Store Low Carb Beef Stew Recipe

• Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavor often improves the next day as the spices meld.
• Reheat: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
• Freeze: This stew freezes reasonably well. Freeze in portion-sized containers for up to 3 months. Note that the zucchini may become very soft upon thawing, but the flavor remains excellent.

Low Carb Beef Stew Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 509
• Total Fat: 38g
• Saturated Fat: 14g
• Cholesterol: 95mg
• Sodium: 450mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 9.3g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.5g
• Sugar: 5g
• Protein: 28g
• Net Carbs: 6.8g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving (1.5 cups).

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