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Home » Soups & Stews » Beef Stew (Low-Carb)

Beef Stew (Low-Carb)

Posted by: Diabetic Foodie / Meats, Soups & Stews, Winter / August 30, 2020

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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!

Close-up of secret ingredient beef stew in a white bowl set on a wooden cutting board

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!

Ingredients for stew in separate ramekins, as seen from above

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.

Beef cooking in dutch oven

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.

Stew ingredients cooking in the dutch oven

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.

All ingredients in the dutch oven

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!

Two bowls of stew, as seen from above

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 Keto 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.

Close-up of stew in a bowl with a spoon

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:

  • Cajun Shrimp Stew
  • Moroccan Eggplant Stew
  • Okra Stew with Shrimp and Andouille

You can also take a look at this collection of low-carb diabetes-friendly dinner 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!

Recipe Card
beef stew in a white bowl
4.62 from 18 votes

Beef Stew (Low-Carb)

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!
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 25 minutes
Author:Diabetic Foodie
Servings:4
Review Print

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 beef broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 pound turnips (cubed)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Heat a cast iron dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil.
  • Season the beef with salt and 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.
  • Add the vinegar. Scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the dutch oven.
  • Add the broth, beef, bay leaves, turnips, and butter. Mix well, then bring everything to a boil.
  • Once the mixture is boiling, reduce to a simmer. Cook for 45 – 60 minutes until the turnips and beef are tender.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is for 4 servings.
Leftover stew can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
I recommend reheating slowly in a large pot over the stove.

Nutrition Info Per Serving

Nutrition Facts
Beef Stew (Low-Carb)
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 414 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 7.1g44%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 6.2g
Cholesterol 130.8mg44%
Sodium 823mg36%
Potassium 330mg9%
Carbohydrates 15.1g5%
Fiber 3.9g16%
Sugar 7.4g8%
Protein 44.7g89%
Net carbs 11.2g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: American
Diet: Diabetic
Keyword: beef stew
Did you make this recipe?Click here to leave a comment & star rating!

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  1. Petey says

    October 11, 2022 at 11:54 am

    Can I freeze this for short term? Say 1 month?

    Reply
    • Diabetic Foodie says

      October 13, 2022 at 4:26 pm

      Yes, that should be fine

      Reply
  2. ANNE T ROPER says

    September 3, 2021 at 10:42 am

    Hi all,
    I’m brand new to this site and everything looks delicious! I’m trying to find good recipes for a family member who was just diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Dr. says he has a chance of lowering his numbers through diet and exercise. He sees Dr. on Sept. 21. I’m at a loss on how to do this correctly, portions and all the various no no’s befuddle me. Finally got an appointment with a nutritionist but it’s not til October 14. I’m really afraid the die is already cast. ps He won’t exercise. Thanks, Annie

    Reply
    • Diabetic Foodie says

      September 3, 2021 at 10:51 am

      His glucometer (home kit for measuring blood sugar) should quickly become your best friend. Measure before meals and 1.5-2 hours after meals. If the meal raises blood sugars significantly, then the portion size of the type of meal should be reconsidered. This is a good article on blood sugar levels if you need more resources: https://diabetesstrong.com/what-are-normal-blood-sugar-levels/

      Reply
  3. susan30AEATS says

    December 16, 2011 at 9:12 am

    What a beautiful post! I just love my fathers skillet cornbread with black-eyed peas and turnip greens!He too makes the best burgers I have ever tasted! Tender and juicy that taste like no other I’ve ever had! Mother’s specialty is Chicken-fried steak with white gravy made in the renderings of sausage. Merry Christmas Shelby!

    Reply
  4. Wendy says

    December 3, 2011 at 6:18 pm

    Hey Foodie 🙂 I love beef stew. Do you think you could reduce the fat in this recipe by using a leaner cut of beef instead of stew meat? How about using lamb? Any other options?

    Reply
  5. Wendy says

    December 3, 2011 at 6:17 pm

    I love my mother’s recipe for Gazpacho. I have tried to make it according to her recipe but somehow it is never quite the same. I think it is because the ingredients these days are different than they were in the 70’s. Nowadays gazpacho is typically chunky. Mom’s was smooth and she pureed it with white bread so it was almost creamy with the most wonderful medley of flavors. Her special touch was to put chopped cucumber, onion and green pepper on top. A wonderful summery soup.

    Reply
    • diabeticFoodie says

      December 4, 2011 at 9:12 am

      Wendy – I’ve never heard of bread in gazpacho – interesting! I think you could reduce the fat in this recipe by using leaner beef, eating a smaller portion and/or increasing the amount of veggies and decreasing the amount of beef. Cook some squash or other winter veggies and think of that as your entree, then serve some of the beef stew as a side dish. A pound of stew beef has about 1000 calories and 78g fat (31g saturated). A pound of lamb has about 1100 calories and 85g fat (37g saturated), so I don’t think switching to lamb would help you fat-wise.

      Reply
  6. Adele says

    December 3, 2011 at 5:19 pm

    My aunt made the best tasting tomato sauce. She used fresh vegetables and fresh herbs from the garden. She made a very large pot of it at once so everyone could enjoy it. I have tried to recreate it, but it just doesn’t seem to taste as good as hers did.

    Reply
    • diabeticFoodie says

      December 4, 2011 at 9:02 am

      Adele – Your aunt’s tomato sauce sounds amazing. I’m not sure I’ve hit on the perfect tomato sauce recipe either, but I keep trying. Maybe it’s because I don’t have any Italian blood 🙂

      Reply
  7. Donna F. says

    December 3, 2011 at 5:15 pm

    My grandmother used to make the best fried chicken cutlets. They smelled amazing while cooking and tasted incredible. No one has even come close! She must have had a special touch.

    Reply
    • diabeticFoodie says

      December 4, 2011 at 9:00 am

      Donna F. – My grandmother made mouth-watering fried chicken too. We’d always go to her house after church on Sunday for fried chicken and homemade cloverleaf rolls.

      Reply
  8. Cheryl says

    December 2, 2011 at 9:52 am

    This sounds ridiculously good, gonna try it this weekend! BTW add a link to your blog on my website! It is a must!!

    Reply
  9. Micaela says

    December 2, 2011 at 1:05 am

    for some reason, I can never make my own hamburger patties taste as good or come out as juicy as my dad’s. I stood by his side and watched him make them at least a thousand times but he must’ve had a light touch while seasoning, mixing the meat & forming the patties because his burgers were the best ever.

    Reply
    • diabeticFoodie says

      December 4, 2011 at 8:59 am

      Micaela – Now I’m craving a burger!

      Reply
  10. Erin says

    December 1, 2011 at 6:55 pm

    I am intrigued by the beef stew without potatoes. How strong is the anchovy taste? That might hold me back from making it.
    I always loved my mother’s New England clam chowder. I finally asked her for the recipe a few years ago and discovered that her “recipe” was to buy it by the gallon from a local hole-in-the-wall seafood place and then freeze it in small sizes and pull out on a cold winter’s night. I was shocked! So much for that recipe. My best go-to home recipe is my Grandmother’s entire Christmas feast handwritten by her complete with gravy stains. Her turkey directions have never failed me so I never have to stress about how my turkey will turn out.

    Reply
    • diabeticFoodie says

      December 4, 2011 at 8:57 am

      Erin – Do you like dishes that contain Worcestershire sauce? This beef stew tastes like it has a healthy dose of Worcestershire. I love the story about your Mom’s clam chowder!

      Reply
  11. Anne Andrews X-Pickled Steamer says

    December 1, 2011 at 10:52 am

    Hi, My first time visiting your blog! Great site. I know now I will return. The Project52 is a great creative idea for a book. I hope someday to publish my Great-great Uncle’s handwritten cookbook. Lot’s of work transcribing his handwriting and testing recipes. My favorite is turtle soup where it begins with how to catch the turtle. Not sure I will test that one. LOL He was a chef at Windsor Castle during the reign of Queen Victoria. I wish I had more stories to tell on him. Oh yes, I still make Flat-Tops and I am writing up Kim’s cookbook. I miss HI.

    Reply
    • diabeticFoodie says

      December 4, 2011 at 8:54 am

      Thanks, Anne! It’s so cool that you have your great-uncle’s cookbook. Boy, would I love to have Kim’s mango chicken flat-top right now. Yum!

      Reply
  12. Francys Sandoval says

    December 1, 2011 at 10:38 am

    Good recipe and I’d love to win a copy of this great book!

    Reply
  13. Heather | Farmgirl Gourmet says

    November 29, 2011 at 3:18 pm

    Yum! This looks awesome Shelby. I must make it. 🙂

    Reply
  14. Kristin says

    November 29, 2011 at 2:18 pm

    That looks like amazing beef stew!

    My great-grandmother always made the best fruitcake somehow! I’ve tasted many others, and I can’t even swallow, but somehow my great-grandmother’s was amazing!

    Reply
    • diabeticFoodie says

      December 4, 2011 at 8:51 am

      Kristin – I’m with you on family fruitcake. I love my grandmother’s and my mom’s (now, not when I was little!), but find it hard to eat others.

      Reply

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