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This hearty beef stew is the perfect way to warm up on a chilly day. It’s low-carb, full of rich flavor, and so easy to make — everything comes together in one pot!
The moment I feel a chill in the air, I start craving rich and hearty stews. There’s nothing quite like a big bowl of comfort to warm you up.
This low-carb beef stew has to be one of my favorite options. The delicious flavors of the beef and veggies really infuse into the broth as it cooks. Not to mention, everything comes together in one pot!
But can a hearty stew really be low in carbs? Absolutely! The secret is to swap out high-carb, starchy potatoes for low-carb turnips instead.
After simmering in the broth, the turnips will be so tender and delicious, no one will ever guess they aren’t potatoes!
How to make low-carb beef stew
Ready to see how this delicious one-pot stew comes together?
For a super-easy cooking process, I like to start by prepping all of my ingredients. That way, I can just add them as I need them!
Step 1: Heat a cast iron Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil.
Step 2: Season the beef with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Add the beef to the pan in a single layer and sear for a few minutes until well browned. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.
Step 4: Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the onions, carrots, garlic, and fresh thyme. Mix well and cook until the onions are tender.
Step 5: Add the vinegar. Scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the Dutch oven.
Step 6: Add the broth, beef, bay leaves, turnips, and butter. Mix well, then bring everything to a boil.
Step 7: Once the mixture is boiling, reduce to a simmer. Cook for 45 – 60 minutes until the turnips and beef are tender.
Ladle into 4 bowls, garnish with fresh thyme if you like, and enjoy!
Reducing the carbs in this recipe
At 11 net carbs per serving, this recipe is already pretty low-carb. But if you’re adapting it for a low-carb way of eating, there are a few ways to lower the carbs even more.
The first option is to reduce or omit the carrots. A medium carrot has around 4.5 net carbs, and there will be about half a carrot per serving.
If you’re cooking this stew for others who aren’t as concerned about carbs, you could also just give them all the carrots!
Next, consider reducing the amount of turnips. They add a great heartiness to the stew in place of potatoes, so I don’t recommend omitting them entirely.
The turnips add about 20 net carbs to the whole recipe, or 5 net carbs per serving. You could cut the amount in half to reduce the turnips to 2 net carbs per serving.
Feel free to play around with the ingredients to best suit your way of eating!
Storage
Stews are a great meal to make ahead of time and enjoy throughout the week. The flavors will deepen even more overnight!
Any leftover stew can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, I recommend placing your serving in a large pot over medium heat and heating the stew slowly until it reaches your desired temperature.
Other delicious stew recipes
Hearty stews are the perfect way to warm yourself up all fall and winter long! If you’re looking for more delicious and satisfying recipes, here are a few of my favorites that I know you’ll love:
You can also take a look at this collection of low-carb diabetes-friendly ground beef recipes for even more inspiration.
When you’ve tried this stew, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Beef Stew (Low-Carb)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1½ pounds beef stewing meet, (cubed)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup onion, (diced)
- 2 carrots, (cut into rounds)
- 2 cloves garlic, (minced)
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound turnips, (cubed)
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Heat a cast iron dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil.2 tablespoons canola oil
- Season the beef with salt and pepper.1½ pounds beef stewing meet, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add the beef to the pan in a single layer and sear for a few minutes until well browned. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the onions, carrots, garlic, and fresh thyme. Mix well and cook until the onions are tender.1 cup onion, 2 carrots, 2 cloves garlic, 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- Add the vinegar. Scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the dutch oven.2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Add the broth, beef, bay leaves, turnips, and butter. Mix well, then bring everything to a boil.4 cups low-sodium beef broth, 2 bay leaves, 1 pound turnips, 2 tablespoons butter
- Once the mixture is boiling, reduce to a simmer. Cook for 45 – 60 minutes until the turnips and beef are tender.
