Keto Beef Stew: Rich and Hearty Slow Cooker Recipe

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.

1. Prep Vegetables: To prep, cut up all the vegetables. Radish, rutabaga (carrots if whole), celery, and yellow onion into one-inch pieces.
2. Prep Meat: Also cut up the beef chuck (for easier cutting, place in freezer for 30 mins to firm up).
3. 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.
4. 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.

1. 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.
2. Season: Season with tomato paste, Italian seasoning, chili powder, paprika, celery seed, chopped garlic, rosemary 2 bay leaves.
3. Cook: Pour beef stock over the top of the pot, stir, add the lid, and cook.
4. 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!

Yield: 6-8 servings

Keto Beef Stew

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A deeply flavorful and hearty Keto Beef Stew that skips the potatoes, using radishes and rutabaga instead. The beef chuck is browned for depth and cooked in the slow cooker for hours until perfectly tender.

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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