Keto Beef Soup Recipe: A Comforting and Low-Carb Delight

Beef stew is a classic comfort food, especially during the colder months. The good news is that you can easily adapt it to be keto-friendly with a few simple adjustments. By reducing the stew well, you can achieve a rich and satisfying consistency without relying on traditional thickeners. This keto beef soup recipe is just as comforting as the original and perfect for a cozy winter night.

What Makes This Keto Beef Soup Special?

This recipe uses a few smart swaps to keep the carb count low while maximizing flavor and satisfaction. The key is to focus on rich, savory ingredients and techniques that enhance the natural flavors of the beef and vegetables.

One reviewer raves: "My husband and I are new to Keto so we are trying new recipes. This was our 2nd, and it was delicious! Easy to make, smells wonderful and perfect on a fall evening. Will definitely make again.” - art2450

Ingredients for Keto Beef Soup

Here's a breakdown of the key ingredients and why they work in this keto-friendly recipe:

• Beef Chuck Roast: Stew beef needs internal fat and connective tissue for tenderness during long simmering. Chuck roast has both, plus great beefy flavor. You can also use chunk steak, round steak, or blade steak, or pre-cut stew meat, trimming excess fat.
• Mushrooms: Baby bella mushrooms add bulk and flavor.
• Onion, Carrots, Celery: This classic mirepoix forms the aromatic base of the stew.
• Tomato Paste: A pure umami bomb that adds depth and color. Cook until slightly darkened for enhanced flavor.
• Beef Broth: Use low-sodium broth to control the salt level.
• Herbs: Fresh thyme and rosemary add comforting aroma and flavor.
• Optional Low Carb Vegetables: This recipe uses onions, red bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, and red cabbage, but this is not set in stone. You could use some mixture of Daikon radishes, kale, green cabbage, summer squash, eggplant, soybeans, spinach, asparagus, bok choy, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, celery, celery root, collard greens, parsley, endive, butternut squash, escarole, kohlrabi, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, pumpkin, radicchio, scallions, spaghetti squash, green beans, tomatoes, turnips, and hot peppers.

A Note on Carrots: While some keto recipes avoid carrots, they are included here because no self-respecting vegetable soup would be without them. But they actually rank very low on the glycemic index and only have 4g net carbs per carrot.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Step-by-Step Instructions for Keto Beef Soup

Follow these detailed instructions to create the perfect keto beef soup:

1. Prepare the Beef: Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Sear the Beef: Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sear the beef in batches until golden brown on all sides. Don't overcrowd the pot; add more oil if needed. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
3. Sauté the Vegetables: Add the mushrooms to the pot and cook until golden and crispy. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Stir in the tomato paste, coating the vegetables.
4. Simmer the Soup: Add the broth, rosemary, thyme, and seared beef to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the beef is tender, about 50 minutes to an hour.
5. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

Recipe: Keto Beef Stew

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. beef chuck roast, cut into 1" pieces
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 oz. Baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into rounds
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp. freshly chopped rosemary

Directions:

1. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season well with salt and pepper. In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Working in batches, add beef and sear on all sides until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from pot and repeat with remaining beef, adding more oil as necessary.
2. To same pot, add mushrooms and cook until golden and crispy, 5 minutes. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Add tomato paste and and stir to coat vegetables.
3. Add broth, thyme, rosemary, and beef to pot and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until beef is very tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Serving Suggestions for Keto Beef Soup

This stew is comforting on its own, but if you want to round out the meal, consider these keto-friendly side dishes:

• Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
• Creamed Brussels Sprouts
• Smashed Broccoli
• Highkey almond flour crackers or homemade almond flour crackers

Storage Instructions

Let the stew cool to room temperature before refrigerating in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Variations: Beef Stroganoff Soup

For a delicious twist, try a keto-friendly Beef Stroganoff Soup. This recipe adapts a traditional Russian stew, replacing the usual pasta with zucchini noodles if desired.

Ingredients:

• 2 large beef rump (sirloin) steaks (800 g/ 1.76 lb)
• 600 g brown or white mushrooms (1.3 lb)
• 1/4 cup ghee or lard (55 g/ 1.9 oz)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium white or brown onion, chopped (110 g/ 3.9 oz)
• 5 cups bone broth or chicken stock or vegetable stock (1.2 l/ quart)
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• Juice from 1 lemon (~ 4 tbsp)
• 1 1/2 cup sour cream, heavy whipping cream or coconut cream (345 g/ 12.2 oz)
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Place the steaks in the freezer in a single layer for 30-45 minutes to make slicing easier.
2. Clean and slice the mushrooms. Slice the steaks as thinly as possible.
3. Grease a large heavy bottom pan with half of the ghee. Add the beef slices in a single layer and quickly fry over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
4. Grease the pan with the remaining ghee. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and cook until lightly browned and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add Dijon mustard, paprika, and bone broth. Add lemon juice and bring to a boil. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the browned beef slices and sour cream. If using a thickener, add it to the pot and stir well.
7. Finally, add freshly chopped parsley.

Stovetop vs. Instant Pot

You can make this low carb beef soup using either a stovetop or an Instant Pot. For the Instant Pot method, pressure cook the beef for 35 minutes. Cook the vegetables and broth in a soup pot on the stovetop. Searing the meat in a frying pan on the stove first, to seal in the juiciness.

Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

tags: #keto #beef #soup