Hearty Low-Carb Keto Beef Stew (Instant Pot)

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4.8 from 15 votes
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This low-carb recipe for Instant Pot Keto Beef Stew is a nutritional powerhouse that’s so delicious, nobody will ever guess it’s healthy too! Best of all, it comes together in under 40 minutes and you only have to clean one dish.

Low carb Keto Beef Stew with meat and veggies in a white bowl with a gold spoon and a glass of wine.

UPDATE: This post was originally published in December 2017 and has been updated to reflect new information and helpful content.

This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make it possible for Root + Revel to provide free content and healthy living inspiration.

I don't know about you, but getting dinner on the table is a feat in itself most days of the year.

I'm always looking for quick and easy dinner recipes!

A table with carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, green beans, crushed tomatoes, dishtowels, bay leaves, and a glass of wine.

Bonus points if that recipe is ultra cozy and comforting, warming and seasonal, healthy and anti-inflammatory.

And that's exactly what this gluten-free, Keto beef stew is. Take a look:

Serving beef stew with a gold ladle out of an Instant Pot and into a white bowl.

Is Beef Stew Really Healthy?

Generally speaking, beef stew is already a really healthy, nourishing dinner choice, Keto or not. It's full of seasonal veggies and when you make it with grass-fed beef and collagen-rich bone broth… fuhgeddaboudit!

Plus, this beef stew recipe is high in:

  • protein
  • Vitamin K (great for bone and blood health, critical for hormone balance)
  • B6 (helps the body metabolize fats, improves brain health and mood, and helps you sleep better)
  • B12 (energy and metabolism booster), and
  • Zinc (super important for digestion, fertility, thyroid and clear skin)

It's a nutritional powerhouse that's so delicious, nobody will ever guess it's healthy, too!

Two bowls of low carb beef stew on a table with a placemat, dish towel, and gold spoons.

That being said, traditional beef stew can be a bit carb-heavy and I know so many people are trying to limit their carbs these days. (I personally follow Intuitive Eating and don't believe in not eating carbs, but whatever floats your boat! Sometimes I naturally eat lower carbs because that's what my body wants that day, but most other times I don't.)

Or maybe you eat gluten-free or Paleo and generally just want to up your nutrition game. So, I thought I'd put a little twist on classic beef stew and make this one Ketogenic.

What is Keto? 

For the uninitiated, the keto diet is a high-fat and low-carb plan that causes the body to enter a state of ketosis, where we produce ketones (which break down fat) in the liver to be used as energy.

On a normal diet, the body uses glucose (or carbs) as the main form of energy. By using ketones (or fat) instead, we are forcing our body into this metabolic state of starvation (but without starving ourselves) that can result in weight loss, balanced blood sugar (thanks to the lack of glucose spikes from avoiding carbs), increased energy, controlled appetite, and improved mental focus. (source)

So how do you make Keto beef stew?

Two bowls of low carb beef stew on a table with a placemat, dish towel, and gold spoons, and two hands with one touching a spoon.

How to Make Low-Carb Keto Beef Stew

To cut down on the carbs, the first thing you do for this recipe is nix the flour or cornstarch. These are refined carbs that are typically used to thicken stews, but I find them to be totally unnecessary.

Secondly, I'm making some low-carb veggie swaps for the starch-heavy root veggies often found in beef stew.

For this recipe, I'm using tons of anti-inflammatory garlic, onions, spices and mushrooms, and then some diced tomatoes, carrots and green beans.

The result? Just 11.7 grams of carbs per serving! Crazy, right?

A woman in a sweater in the background holding a white bowl of keto beef stew in the foreground.

Now, since I'm not personally Keto and I love me some good potatoes, I do like to throw a few in this beef stew. If you add them, the carb count only goes up to 20 grams per serving, so it's still a low-carb beef stew recipe, relatively speaking.

There are tons of other great low-carb veggies you could use here, too, like celeriac (celery root), radishes, broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, and cauliflower.

That's the beauty of stew recipes–they're really more just templates. Use whatever veggies you love/have on hand. This beef stew recipe is great for cleaning out the fridge, too!

You can find all of the ingredients you need for this recipe at Sprouts Farmers Market, which specializes in healthy, natural and organic food at affordable prices!

To find a Sprouts location, use this handy map and don’t miss Sprouts’ weekly ad with digital coupons.

Serving beef stew with a gold ladle out of an Instant Pot and into a white bowl.

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Go here to order your first ButcherBox!

Equipment: The Instant Pot

Do you have an Instant Pot yet? This may just be my favorite appliance of the last few years!

I love that you can brown meat right in the pot (yep, that means you only have to wash one dish for this entire recipe!) and thanks to the magic of pressure cooking, this stew cooks up in just 15 minutes. You can also check out Instant Pot's websites for special offers to buy direct, or order on Amazon.

The meat is even better than you could ever expect: pressure cooking makes it pull-apart-with-a-spoon tender!

Also, a quick note about the bone broth: instead of using true bone broth, I make my own right in the pot as the stew cooks by adding 2 marrow bones and 4 cups of water. But if you can't find marrow bones, you can always add 4 cups of beef bone broth instead. (Kettle & Fire is the BEST brand on the market for bone broth!)

If you don't yet have an Instant Pot, don't worry–I provided instructions for a slow cooker or crockpot in the recipe notes below. Just one more step of browning on the stovetop. Still super easy!

A woman in a sweater in the background holding a white bowl of keto beef stew in the foreground.

If you give this Keto Beef Stew recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag a picture @rootandrevel on Instagram so I can see and reshare!

More Easy Instant Pot Recipes

Keto Beef Stew with meat and veggies in a white bowl with a gold spoon and a glass of wine.
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4.8 from 15 votes

Hearty Low-Carb Keto Beef Stew (Instant Pot)

Servings: 6
This low-carb recipe for Instant Pot Keto Beef Stew is a nutritional powerhouse that’s so delicious, nobody will ever guess it’s healthy too! Best of all, it comes together in under 40 minutes and you only have to clean one dish.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time40 mins

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons organic, grass-fed butter
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1 pound organic, grass-fed beef cubed (I recommend chuck roast cut)
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 5 ounces mixed wild mushrooms
  • 3 organic carrots sliced
  • 1 cup organic green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 can organic diced tomatoes no salt added
  • 1 cup diced potatoes OPTIONAL
  • 2 organic, grass-fed beef marrow bones (can substitute 4 cups organic, grass-fed beef bone broth if preferred)
  • 4 cups filtered water (omit if using bone broth instead of marrow bones)
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
  • red pepper flakes to taste (I used 1 Tbsp but my brand was not very spicy, so start with just 1/2-1 tsp to be safe)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Chives + Parsley to garnish

Instructions

  • Set your Instant Pot to sauté and add the butter. Once hot, add the onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the beef cubes, season with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Pour the red wine over top and use a wooden spatula to scrape up any browned bits.
  • Turn the Instant Pot off and add the remaining ingredients. Screw on the lid and set to High Pressure, Manual for 15 minutes. Release steam when finished cooking. Remove the marrow bones, if using, and the bay leaves.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

If you don't have an Instant Pot and would prefer to use a slow cooker, follow these instructions:
In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion to avocado oil and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the beef cubes and brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Pour the red wine over top and use a wooden spatula to scrape up any browned bits.
Add the mixture to a crockpot with the remaining ingredients, except the garnish. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Garnish with herbs and vinegar. Serve and enjoy!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef stew, instant pot, keto, ketogenic, low carb
Author: Olivia Johnson

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal
https://nutrifox.com/recipes/22630/edit

**Note: Nutrition panel does not include optional 2 cups of diced potatoes. However, if you add them, the carb count only goes up to 20 grams per serving, so it's still a low-carb beef stew recipe.

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66 thoughts on “Hearty Low-Carb Keto Beef Stew (Instant Pot)”

  2. Rhayah

    5 stars
    This was amazing! Instead of potatoes I used rutabaga, and I left out the green beans. Also, I didn’t have bone broth, so I used Minor’s Beef Base instead. This is definitely part of our monthly rotation now. Yum!

    Reply
  3. Em

    Really excellent recipe. I didn’t bother with chilli flakes. I did add a head of cauliflower chopped into florets though. This disintegrates during cooking and leaves a lovely thick stew (I like thick stew!). Thank you so much for the recipe.

    Reply
  6. Tim

    Now that I’ve read the comments, and I see that the author has acknowledged that 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes may be too much depending on brand or freshness, WHY HASN’T THE RECIPE BEEN UPDATED TO NOTE THIS?

    After having to throw out my batch I looked into this more and if you follow the link to the specific brand of red pepper flakes recommended and read the comments you will see that many people noted that these are very weak in terms of heat, so that’s why 1 tablespoon worked for the author.

    I’d suggest using your own experience base to determine how much to add of your own brand that is familiar to you. Review a spicy recipe you’ve made that is near the limit of your heat tolerance and use that as a guide. I will say that as much as I love spicy food, I have no recipes that call for 1 tbsp of red pepper flakes, even at this total volume.

    Reply
    1. Kate Kordsmeier

      There is a nutritional panel under the recipe. 19 grams of protein / 10 grams of fat. You can of course add more fat to your meal to make it more keto balanced (avocado, sour cream, ghee, etc.!)

      Reply
  10. Rebecca

    I want to make this, but I am not sure what to do about the marrow bones. We have very, very large marrow bones from when we got 1/4 of a cow. 2 will definitely not fit in the instant pot. Do you have a weight estimate for your 2 bones?

    Reply
  11. Prema

    I questioned whether 1 T. of red pepper flakes was too much for this recipe and totally regret adding the total amount. Ridiculously spicy. It’s so spicy that we can’t eat it…not by a long shot. That’s after adding a bit of brown sugar, lemon, a can of coconut milk, and sour cream. Dumped the broth and trying to find a way to keep other ingredients. I think 1/2 T. would have been the limit.

    Reply
    3. Scott

      4 stars
      I totally agree that a tablespoon of red pepper flakes is too much. I LOVE heat but this was WAY over the top. It may have to do with the freshness of the pepper flakes. I use them all the time so they are very fresh. A 1/2 tsp would be a good starting point. Be warned! Like Prema, we threw everything and the kitchen sink at it to cool it down and it barely lowered the heat.

      Reply
  12. Vincent

    Could you tell me what size instant pot you use/suggest? I am looking at buying one and I mainly make my own version of the “weightlifters stew”, however the instant pot being able to cook in 15 minutes is intriguing as this recipe of your.

    Reply
    2. ron

      get the 8 quart. you don’t have to fill it up to use it, you can always cook less. but if you have the bigger one, you have the option of cooking more at once. I have the 6 quart and make it work. there’s been a few times where I wished I had gotten the 8 quart

      Reply
    2. Ashleigh

      5 stars
      Net Carbs would be 8.3 so if you’re doing IF or OMAD and eating other things that are low carb then this could fit in nicely.

      Reply
  14. ILove2Eat

    4 stars
    Good recipe! Made this tonight with a few modifications. I added an extra 8 oz beef cubes. I used frozen petite whole green beans. I added cubed red potatoes with the skins on. I seasoned the beef with salt and pepper and added a bit more kosher salt in before I put the lid on. Now I am a less-salt-is-good person, but thought it still needed more salt after it was done. I added a little beef paste bouillon to about a 1/4 c hot water before serving.
    The biggest pointer I want to add is, I love heat in a lot of different foods. I decided to only add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. I thought it was spicy…not killer, but if you do not like heat..Do Not Add 1 Tablespoon of Red Pepper flakes!

    Reply
  15. Sarah

    Using the IP for the first time. What is the benefit to using the manual setting? According to the manual, the timer is for delayed time. I’ll let you know how the stew turns out!

    Reply
    2. ron

      delayed time is for the slow cooker function. these directions are for pressure cooking. you’ll need to set the time much longer if you want to slow cook it.

      Reply
  17. Ginny

    5 stars
    My two favorite appliances! It looks so rich and delicious with all those vegetables. I have yet to do a stew in the Instant Pot so that’s got my vote.

    Reply
  19. lisa

    5 stars
    You can never have enough stew recipes! This sounds hearty and delicious! I don’t have an insta-pot (the only person on the planet without one), but I’m sure my dutch oven will work.

    Reply
  21. Sarah Newman

    5 stars
    Can’t wait to share this with my sister – she’s been making bone broth in her Instant Pot, so will totally love this recipe!

    Reply

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