Healthy beef stew is on the menu this week with temperatures in the single digits and below. But you won’t hear me complaining, the gym is open, the food is healthy and the kids are happy. That’s all that matters in life – the simple things. If you don’t know how to make beef stew keep in mind there are so many variations, that you can seldom go wrong.
Healthy Beef Stew Recipe
What You Will Need (Full Printable Recipe Available Below)
To make this classic beef stew recipe you will need a few simple ingredients.
Ingredients
1 lb tender beef chunks, cubed
2 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons paprika
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 carrots, chopped
1 parsnip, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 onions, sliced
4 potatoes, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
arrowroot powder (optional)
You will also need a large pot or Dutch oven.
How to Make Easy Beef Stew
This easy beef stew recipe is delicious, gluten-free and ‘clean’ for those following a healthy lifestyle. If you are new to a clean eating way of life then you need to check out Everything You Need to Know about a Clean Eating Diet. This clean eating beef stew is made with all simple ingredients and no added processed foods.
Tips for Choosing Beef Stew Ingredients
When choosing your beef stew meat try to get grass-fed, lean beef. I mention in the clean eating diet post that we source our beef from an amazing local farm. They even package the stew meat and label it for us. I know not everyone can do this, but I would certainly look into it in your area if your family eats a lot of beef. Also, aim for organic vegetables when possible as well. We always opt for organic as often as possible, and if certain foods are out of season I will grab frozen organic as a second option.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Click here for my full disclosure policy
We order most of our meat online, you can find great quality chicken, beef, and pork online here at CrowdCow.
Choosing Your Healthy Beef Stew Pot
Where some prefer a crock pot beef stew or an instant pot, at the end of the day you probably can’t go wrong with any method of making beef stew. But this homemade beef stew will be made right on the stove top in a large Dutch oven. You can use a standard Lodge Dutch oven (here) or an enameled cast iron Dutch oven. (here). You just want to make sure to use a heavy-bottomed pan and heat over medium heat for this Dutch oven beef stew recipe.
Directions for Easy Beef Stew
Add the olive oil to the bottom of the pot and heat over medium-high heat. Another healthy oil option is avocado oil. You can use either one.
Season the stew beef with salt and black pepper and add to the hot oil.
Sear the stew meat on all sides, for about 3-4 minutes. You just want to brown the meat all around. Once the meat has a dark-brown crust remove the browned beef from the pot and add the onions.
Cook the onions until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Do not rush this step as it builds fantastic flavor. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add the healthy stew spices: garlic and paprika.
Add the tender meat back to the pot and cook for 2 more minutes.
Next, add the bay leaves, carrots, parsnips, and celery.
Then add just enough water to cover the hearty stew mixture. Alternatively, you can use low sodium beef broth or chicken broth if you’d like for more flavor.
Bring your simple beef stew to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover for 45 minutes.
Remove any grease that has accumulated on top. Add the potatoes and let cook for another 20 minutes.
Remove grease, add the rest of the ingredients: tomatoes and peppers, and cook for 5 minutes.
Season again with additional salt, pepper, and paprika as needed.
*Optional – if you would like to thicken your healthy beef stew you can add arrowroot powder. Arrowroot powder works the same as traditional flour to thicken but is gluten-free. This is the one that I use and can be found online HERE.
This is the best beef stew during winter months. It is the perfect comfort food for the whole family on a chilly weekend. This hearty beef stew recipe is also a low calorie beef stew since it is made with only lean cuts of beef and hearty vegetables.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
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