Low Carb Thickener for Beef Stew

Keto Beef stew is a classic American dinner that is known to be comforting and super hearty. With the right ingredients, you can make a keto-friendly beef stew that is thick, full of flavors, and low in carbs. Make it on your stovetop in a dutch oven or a crockpot for an easy keto healthy one-pan meal that will fill your tummy and warm your soul.

How to make keto beef stew

Beef stew…ahhh…it is total comfort food in my book. When I thought about making a Keto/Low Carb Beef Stew, I wasn't sure how it would turn out or even what vegetables to use! I thought, how am I going to make a deliciously healthy beef stew without potatoes and carrots? (since they are too high in carbs). I was hesitant about using radishes at first, but the combination of radishes, tomatoes, celery, mushrooms, and onions will quickly make you forget about those potatoes and carrots! Trust me. They make this simple gluten-free keto beef stew taste just like the old-fashioned beef stew our parents would make back in the good ole days!

Pair this low-carb beef stew with my Keto Cheddar Biscuits, and I can guarantee you'll go back for seconds.

Don't miss my huge variety of Keto Soup & Chili recipes to keep your belly full and help you to stay on track on a keto or low carb diet.

Keto Beef Stew Ingredients:

Beef Stew Meat- Any beef would work, but some are better than others. See my stew meat tips below.
Onion, Garlic, Celery ribs, Mushrooms, Radishes– These are the low-carb veggies that will be used to make your beef stew super hearty and healthy.
Beef broth– Look for the low sodium kind so you can control the salt yourself.
Canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste– Canned tomatoes adds perfectly diced tomatoes with their juice. Tomato paste is super concentrated, so it adds lots of extra tomato flavor without the added liquid.
Worcestershire sauce and Bragg's Liquid Aminos– These are what add that umami flavor that goes a long way.
Xanthan Gum- This is a low-carb thickener I use to thicken the stew.

This Keto Beef Stew Recipe is gluten-free. I would suggest checking the ingredients you use in your kitchen to ensure there is no hidden gluten.

Steps for making this keto beef stew:

Step 1: Cut your stew meat into small chunks and sear them in a skillet or dutch oven until they get nicely browned. Do not add all the stew meat at once, but sear in batches instead, otherwise, the temperature of the dutch oven lowers, and it won't brown as well.

Step 2: Add onion, chopped celery, and garlic to the same pot and saute for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Sauteeing veggies help to infuse flavor.

Step 3: Next, add the butter to your pot, then the mushrooms, and cook for 4-6 more minutes.

Tip: You can also add a steam bag of riced cauliflower to this recipe. I would sautee it after it has been steamed with the mushrooms to add flavor.

Step 4: Add the radishes and continue to cook for 4 more minutes. This step helps infuse the radishes with flavor.

Step 5:Stir in the tomato paste until it is combined, then deglaze the pan by adding ½ cup of the beef broth, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the rest of the beef broth, canned tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, Bragg's Aminos, red wine vinegar, pepper, parsley, and bay leaves, then bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Stir in the stew meat and simmer on medium heat with the lid on for 30 minutes. Remove the lid from the pot and simmer for 30 more minutes to reduce the liquid.

Tip: You can also substitute beef bone broth for regular beef broth.

Step 6: Remove ½ a cup of the liquid from the beef stew in a bowl and whisk in the xanthan gum. Once it is combined, add it back to the pot while stirring. Simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the stew reaches desired consistency and the beef is tender. If the beef still feels tough, continue to simmer until it breaks apart easily with a fork.

Tip: If the stew gets too thick, you can add more beef broth. Remove the bay leaves and sprinkle fresh parsley on top before serving.

How to thicken your beef stew

The trick to making a keto-friendly beef stew is to make sure it comes out thick like a stew and not watery like a soup! And when it comes to keto sauces, finding a low-carb thickener is the challenge. In this recipe, I boiled the stew to reduce the liquid, which also helped intensify the soup's flavors, then I added the Xanthum Gum as the last step. You can find complete directions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Beef stew seasoning

I kept the seasoning pretty simple by using bay leaves, parsley, and pepper to season the beef stew. You can add more flavor to make your beef stew how you like it. Here are other low carb ways to season your stew:

Thyme (goes great with mushrooms)
Scallions
Chives
Oregano
Rosemary
Paprika
Cumin
Coriander
Chili Powder
Mustard Powder
Onion/Garlic Powder
salt and pepper (add salt to taste)

Can I Make this Keto Beef Stew Recipe in the Crock-Pot?

Yes! I've included instructions in the recipe card to make this beef stew in the slow cooker in addition to the stovetop recipe, although I always make it on the stove. You will need to reduce the amount of broth since the slow cooker typically doesn't allow liquids to reduce in the same way and thicken.

How to Make Stew Meat Tender?

1. Use the best stew meat for low-carb beef stew.

The cut of your meat is what matters most. The best and also least expensive choice is chuck roast. You can find pre-cut, pre-packaged beef in most food stores. Some are even labeled "stew meat." If this is easiest for you, use that. However, you don't really know what kind of meat you're getting. Make sure to ask the butcher to cut some fresh chuck beef into one-inch cubes. This type comes from the cow's shoulder, and although it is usually a more tough cut of meat, it is ideal for low and slow cooking like beef stews.

2. Allow the stew meat to come to room temperature before searing

To prevent the meat from becoming tough when searing, make sure to set it on the counter for a bit beforehand to allow it to come to room temperature.

3. Don't Crowd the Pan

It's so easy when you are in a hurry to crowd the pan when searing meat. However, too much stew meat in the pan reduces the temperature and makes it difficult to get a nice sear. I always sear my meat in smaller batches to keep the temperature hot to get a good sear.

What to serve with Keto Beef Stew?

Leafy Garden Salad – This stew is chock full of delicious tender beef and hearty veggies for a comforting one-pan meal. We often serve with a delicious garden salad to keep it simple.
Cauliflower Rice – Instead of high carb regular rice, serve over steamed rice cauliflower for a fantastic low carb alternative.
Creamy Keto Cauliflower Mash – If you generally enjoy Beef Stew with mashed potatoes, this creamy keto cauliflower mash is a fantastic alternative that is low in carbs without sacrificing flavor.

Can it Be made Ahead?

Sure! I think it tastes even better the next day after as it enhances all the flavors. Rewarm in the microwave or on the stove. It doesn't contain any dairy ingredients, so it rewarms perfectly.

How to Store Keto-Friendly Beef Stew?

It can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days in an air-tight container or in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to four months. To reheat, it is best to thaw in the fridge overnight then rewarm in the microwave or on the stovetop.

More Keto Soup Recipes:

Keto Chili Recipe
Easy Keto White Chicken Chili
Queso Keto Taco Soup Recipe
Keto Stuffed Pepper Soup
Yummy Keto Chicken Noodle Soup

Other keto beef recipes:

Keto Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry (Quick & Easy)
Keto Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe
Low Carb Ground Beef Recipe: Italian Keto Beef Skillet
Keto Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf (with a Tangy Glaze)
Keto Korean Ground Beef Bowl

Check out all of my Keto/Low Carb Recipes in my Keto Recipe Index.

Keto Crock-Pot Beef Stew Recipe:

Low Carb/Keto Beef Stew

Beef stew is a classic American dinner that is known to be comforting and super hearty. With the right ingredients, you can make a keto-friendly beef stew that is thick, full of flavors, and low in carbs. Make it in on your stovetop in a dutch oven or a crockpot for an easy keto, healthy meal that will fill your tummy and warm your soul.

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 15 mins

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Keto Beef Stew

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 248 kcal

1 ¼ lb Beef Stew Meat (I like chuck)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
½ medium onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
2 celery ribs chopped
8 oz mushrooms sliced
10 oz radishes cut into large cubes
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups beef broth may want to use low sodium
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
2 bay leaves
1 tsp parsley
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp Xanthan Gum

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot.
Season steak with a little salt and pepper, then sear a little bit at a time so that the pan's temperature doesn't reduce. Stir occasionally while browning on all sides for approx 5-7 minutes per batch. When each batch is done, remove it from the pan and sear the next batch. I seared mine in 3 batches.
Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and chopped celery to the pan and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until tender.
Add butter to the pot; once it is melted, add the mushrooms and cook for approx 4-6 minutes or until they are tender, then add the radishes and cook for 4 more minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste until it is combined, then deglaze the pan by adding ½ cup of the beef broth, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Leave them in the pot as they are incredibly flavorful.
Add the rest of the beef broth, canned tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, Bragg's Aminos, red wine vinegar, pepper, parsley, and bay leaves, then bring to a boil.
Stir in the stew meat and simmer on medium heat with the lid on for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid from the pot and simmer for 30 more minutes to reduce the liquid.
Remove ½ a cup of the liquid from the beef stew in a bowl and whisk in the xanthan gum. Once it is combined, add it back to the pot while stirring.
Simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the stew reaches desired consistency and the beef is tender. If the beef still feels tough, continue to simmer until it breaks apart easily with a fork. If the stew gets too thick, you can add more beef broth.
Remove the bay leaves and sprinkle fresh parsley on top before serving.

How to Make Beef Stew in the Crock Pot:

Follow steps 1 - 6 above, except reduce the beef broth to 4 cups instead of 6, then add all of the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on high for 7-9 hours. You have to reduce the broth because the stew won't reduce and thicken in the crockpot the same as it does on the stove-top.
Thirty minutes before serving, remove ½ a cup of the liquid from the beef stew in a bowl and whisk in the xanthan gum. Once it is combined, add it back to the crockpot while stirring.
Allow the beef stew to simmer on high with the lid off for approximately 30 minutes to give it time to thicken. If it isn't thick enough after 30 minutes, let it simmer for 15 more minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and sprinkle fresh parsley on top before serving.

The best stew meat for low carb beef stew

The cut of your meat is what matters most. The best and also least expensive choice is chuck. You can find pre-cut, pre-packaged beef in most food stores. Some are even labeled "stew meat." If this is easiest for you, use that. However, you don't really know what kind of meat you're getting. Make sure to ask the butcher to cut some fresh cubes of chuck beef. This type comes from the cow's shoulder, and although it is usually a more tough cut of meat, it is ideal for low and slow cooking like beef stews.

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Source: https://kaseytrenum.com/crock-pot-beef-stew-keto-low-carb/