Keto Beef Stew

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto beef stew recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Beef Chuck Stew Meat – If you can’t find pre-cut beef stew meat, you could use a whole beef chuck roast, which I sometimes see labeled “pot roast” at the store. Just cut it into 1 inch cubes.
• Aromatics – A.k.a. onions and garlic! I’ve made this keto stew with white and yellow onions at different times. Note that sweet onion is a bit higher in carbs. If you need a shortcut, feel free to use 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic in place of fresh.
• Carrots – Peel and cut carrots into thick circles. Carrots are not very keto friendly on their own, but the small amount in this recipe works for me. If you don’t want to use them, I find bell peppers make a nice substitute.
• Celery Root – The secret ingredient in my keto beef stew recipe! This root veggie is low in carbs, and has the texture of potatoes once it’s soft and tender. I find it in the produce section in my local grocery store. (You can also make celery root soup with it, which is my dupe of loaded potato soup). For the stew, you’ll get about 1 pound peeled, cubed celery root from 1.5 pounds celery root with stems and peel — the perfect amount for this dish. If you can’t find celery root, you can swap in rutabaga, turnips, or radishes. You can also use cauliflower or other low carb vegetables, but the simmer time for that step will be shorter.
• Beef Bone Broth – I love bone broth for keto soups and stews because it adds rich flavor and can also help avoid keto flu! But, I’ve also used regular beef broth in this recipe and it was still good.
• Diced Tomatoes – I used a can of diced tomatoes in place of the higher-sugar tomato paste I often see in stews. It also helps balance out the richer flavor of bone broth.
• Seasonings – I add Italian seasoning and bay leaves for flavor, plus sea salt and black pepper.
• Olive Oil – For sauteing. Other heat-safe oils, such as avocado oil, also work.

How To Make Keto Beef Stew

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Peel and cut the celery root. I chop off the top and bottom first, because this makes peeling easier. Place a flat side onto the counter and use a peeler away from you, toward the counter, to peel the skin on the sides. Flip and repeat with any parts you didn’t get. Slice the peeled celery root into discs, then line those up in a stack and cut into strips. Finally, cut the strips in the opposite direction to make small cubes.

2. Sear the beef. Season it with salt and pepper, then sear it in a large Dutch oven with some olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook just until browned.

3. Saute the veggies. Heat more oil in the same Dutch oven. Saute the onions and carrots, until soft and lightly browned. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning, and cook until they smell amazing.
4. Deglaze the pot. Return the beef back to the Dutch oven. Add the broth, diced tomatoes, and whole bay leaves. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Simmer the keto beef stew. Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer until the beef is tender.
6. Cook the celery root. Add it to the pot, bring to a boil again, and simmer until tender. Once the keto beef stew is done, remove the bay leaves, and adjust salt and pepper to your taste. I like a sprinkle of fresh parsley for garnish, as shown below.
7. Finish. Remove bay leaves. Adjust salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Serving Ideas

I consider this keto stew already a meal-in-a-bowl, but here are a few ways you can round out the meal if you like:

• Keto Bread – The easiest way to ensure you don’t leave a single drop of  low carb beef stew in the bowl is to pair it with a side of keto bread, keto garlic bread, keto biscuits, or keto breadsticks from my Easy Keto Cookbook!
• Salad – Make it a soup and salad combo with my red cabbage salad or keto broccoli salad on the side.
• Mash – If you miss beef stew over mashed potatoes, try my mashed cauliflower recipe for a low carb (but just as tasty) alternative.