Whole30 Beef Stew
This Whole30 beef stew is incredibly hearty, savory, and comforting. It can be made in either an Instant Pot or slow cooker. This Paleo beef stew is great for dinners, meal prep, and leftovers. This family favorite dinner is a must for chilly nights!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This is classic comfort food made with healthy ingredients.
- This Whole30 beef stew is so warm and cozy.
- The stew meat is melt in your mouth tender and so flavorful. These Beef Tips and Rice are incredibly tasty too!
- It features a variety of vegetables and flavors.
- This recipe can be made in either an Instant Pot or slow cooker.
- It is made without flour and without wine.
- For a Vegan version, check out this Vegetarian Beef Stew.
- This beef stew is Whole30 compliant, Paleo, grain free, gluten free, dairy free, and sugar free.
- Be sure to make this Dutch Oven Beef Stew too!
Cut of Beef
Both stew meat and chuck roast are great for Whole30 beef stew! These cuts of meat are incredibly tender and flavorful when simmered. If using chuck roast, cut into 1 inch cubes before cooking.
Do not shy away from beef that is marbled with fat throughout. The white fat part adds a ton of flavor!
Lean meat is not a great choice for beef stew.
Ingredients & Substitutions
For the beef, use stew meat or chuck roast. If necessary, short rib, brisket or shank steak can be used. Cut into 1 inch cubes before using. Or, try this Oxtail Stew Recipe.
Onions, carrots and potatoes are the most common stew vegetables. Feel free to omit any of them if desired. Substitute sweet potatoes for a unique touch!
Beef broth is the best option for the liquid, however chicken broth or even vegetable broth may be used instead.
The ground pepper, ground thyme and bay leaf add the right amount of flavor. I have also added a bit of oregano to this and it was delicious!
Arrowroot powder or cornstarch (not Whole30) can replace tapioca flour.
How To Make
Step 1
First, press sauté on Instant Pot. Add olive oil, stew beef and diced onion to Pot. Sauté for 5 minutes until beef has browned. Then, press cancel.
Step 2
Add remaining ingredients except tapioca flour to Pot. Pressure cook on high for 35 minutes.
Step 3
Allow pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes. Then manually release remaining pressure.
Step 4
Remove bay leaf. Ladle out ¼ cup of the liquid from the Pot to a small bowl. Whisk in tapioca flour.
Step 5
Pour this mixture back into Pot. Stir to combine. Press sauté and simmer until sauce has thickened.
Step 6
Finally, ladle into bowls and serve!
Slow Cooker Instructions
This is how make slow cooker Whole30 beef stew:
- Add all ingredients except tapioca flour to slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 7 hours.
- Remove ¼ cup liquid from slow cooker. Stir in tapioca flour. Pour this back into slow cooker and stir.
- Cook until sauce has thickened to desired consistency. Remove bay leaf.
- Finally, serve!
Expert Tips & Tricks
If using the Instant Pot, get a good sear on the beef. This adds color and flavor!
Chop potatoes into 1 inch cubes. This helps them cook thoroughly and evenly.
In addition, chop carrots into pieces that are no thicker than ¼ inch thick. Carrots that are too large will not cook through completely.
Completely whisk in tapioca flour to the liquid from Pot or slow cooker. Whisk until no flour spots remain.
Simmer or sauté until Whole30 beef stew sauce has reached desired consistency.
How To Thicken
Typically, sauces, soups and stews are thickened with flour. Since Whole30 is gluten free, tapioca flour is used to thicken these sauces, soups and stews.
Tapioca flour is made from the starch of cassava root. It has the same texture, density and coloration of cornstarch. In addition, it acts the same as cornstarch in cooking.
To thicken, create a “slurry” by mixing the cooking liquid with tapioca flour. Remove ¼ cup of the liquid from the Pot or slow cooker and put in a small bowl. Whisk in tapioca flour. Then, pour this back into Pot or slow cooker. Stir and then simmer until desired consistency is reached.
How To Store & Serve
Whole30 beef stew is great both immediately after cooking and as leftovers.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, either microwave or add to a skillet over low heat. Cook until warmed.
Freeze stew for up to 1 month. Thaw and then reheat in a skillet over low heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional beef stew usually contains butter, so therefore it contains dairy. This recipe is completely dairy free.
For gluten free beef stew, thicken sauce with tapioca flour, arrowroot starch, or cornstarch.
Double check labels to ensure stew seasoning packets are gluten free. Spices and herbs are gluten free, but oftentimes gluten is hidden in there somewhere.
Thicken beef stew with tapioca flour or arrowroot powder.
Yes! Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.
You May Also Like
If you make this Whole30 beef stew recipe, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I would love for you to follow along! For more ideas, check out these Whole30 Recipes.
Get the Recipe: Whole30 Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 3 pounds stewing beef
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ onion, diced
- 3 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 5 large carrots, sliced
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 tsp ground pepper
- 2 tsp ground thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp tapioca flour
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- First, press sauté. Add olive oil, stew beef and diced onion to the Instant Pot. Sauté for 5 minutes, or until beef has browned. Press cancel.
- Add all remaining ingredients except tapioca flour to Pot. Select high pressure cook. Secure lid and move top valve to Seal. Pressure cook on high for 35 minutes.
- Once timer has gone off, allow pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes. Then carefully (with oven mitt) push top valve to Vent. Manually release remaining pressure.
- Remove the bay leaf. Ladle out ¼ cup of the liquid from the Pot and add to a small bowl. Whisk in tapioca flour.
- Add this slurry back into Pot and stir to combine. Press sauté mode and allow mixture to simmer until desired consistency is reached.
- Finally, ladle into bowls.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add all ingredients except tapioca flour to slow cooker. Gently stir to combine.
- Slow cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 7 hours, until beef and veggies are tender.
- Just before serving, ladle out ¼ cup of the liquid to a small bowl. Whisk in tapioca flour.
- Pour this mixture into slow cooker and stir to combine. Continue slow cooking until sauce has slightly thickened. Remove bay leaf.
- Finally, ladle into bowls.
Notes
- Beef stew meat is sold at most grocery stores. I have found this to be the best meat for this recipe.
- Both Instant Pot and slow cooker methods are great! Use whichever you prefer.
- For a much thicker sauce, add an extra tablespoon of tapioca flour to the slurry mixture. This will thicken sauce considerably.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- This beef stew can be frozen for up to 1 month. To reheat, thaw stew and add to a skillet over low heat until warmed.
Love this Whole30 beef stew? You can sign up here to receive healthy meal plans and new recipes!
10 Comments on “Whole30 Beef Stew”
Love this stew. It has become a regular of mine. I had some broccoli that needed to be used up the first time I cooked it and threw it in the pot. Great addition. It makes plenty so is great if you like leftovers for lunches. I don’t have an instant pot and use the slow cooker recipe. I love having dinner ready when I get home from work.
I am so glad to hear that, Theresa! Thank you for the kind comment. The broccoli sounds amazing!
This beef stew is the perfect fall comfort food!
we love this with rice on the side!
Amazing recipe! This beef stew was so comforting and delicious. It was the perfect dinner. I seriously need to make a bigger batch next time because we had NO leftovers lol!
Thank you so much for including the slow cooker instructions they are so helpful especially for these summer days when its hot and turning on the stove is awful.
Total comfort food in a bowl. Beef stew is so filling and satisfying. I especially love leftovers.
Just in time for the fall! Saving to make later, I can’t wait.
I will make this for dinner tomorrow night. Thank you! Any recommended sides?
Awesome! It has bold flavors so something simple on the side. Maybe some cauliflower rice or a side salad.
Enjoy!