Our Instant Pot Best Keto Beef Stew Recipe is the perfect dinner idea when in a hurry. Also known as Hungarian goulash, this low carb beef stew is rich and hearty, with meat that is so soft and juicy that everyone will keep asking for it.
This quick and easy goulash can be served with our farmers bread, cheesy cauliflower rice, cauliflower pumpkin puree or steamed bread dumplings and a bit of sugar-free cranberry sauce to compliment the flavors.
Low Carb Keto Favorites
Goulash is one of my favorite childhood dishes our mum used to make for us regularly. When I think about that, I am slowly filling my whole blog with my childhood favorites, which I am slowly transforming into a low-carb or keto lifestyle.
Starting with stuffed peppers with low-carb rice and homemade farmers cheese, through to sauerkraut chicken, up to my best sugar-free meringue cookies and crepes.
Those are the dishes I can not live without. And continue to live within our lifestyle.
There you have it. Now you know my favorites.
But watch out because there are many more fabulous recipes on the way. I am transforming them all step by step.
Why Will You Love This Recipe?
This irresistible comforting, hearty keto beef stew or a Hungarian goulash seasoned with rich paprika, mushrooms, and bone broth is a perfect food made in an Instant Pot to warm you up throughout the cold evenings. This keto stew filled with tender beef is an ideal and easy-to-make dish the whole family would love. It’s low carb, gluten-free, and grain-free.
In addition, beef stew is a filling dish with a carb count of 5 grams per portion, which is fantastic especially when you are new to keto.
What is Goulash?
Goulash is a dish similar to a stew or soup filled with meat, vegetables, and lots of paprika spice.
Originally, goulash, or classic stew, contained potatoes. Stew with potatoes, starches the stew even more to the perfect thickness.
Goulash is very popular during the camping season.
Originally made in a cauldron hung over the campfire and prepared by a group of friends slowly throughout the day during the gathering.
What Country is Goulash from?
Origins of goulash come from Hungary, where during medieval times, herders used to travel around Europe with their cattle troops to ensure they always had enough to kill and cook goulash with. They have typically used almost all of the meat from cattle to feed the whole troops.
Slovakia used to be an essential part of the Kingdom of Hungary for several centuries. They have adapted, and goulash has become a fundamental part of Slovakian cuisine.
Slovak cuisine is very similar to Hungarian, Bohemian, or Austrian due to the interconnection of all the countries we were in.
And that is also why this perfect meat stew is very dear to me and famous during my childhood.
What is the Best Meat for Low Carb Keto Beef Stew Recipe?
The best beef stew meat to use for goulash is beef chuck roast, shins, or shoulder, which contains lots of collagen. Collagen converts to gelatine in the process of cooking, which thickens this great soup or stew.
But even if you have regular beef, you can make this easy keto beef stew just as delicious.
How to Make Low Carb Beef Stew Recipe?
I have filled this keto recipe for goulash with lots of mushrooms as they add extra flavor to our delicious hearty stew. Once you make this recipe for the first time, you will realize how easy it is to make, especially with the addition of it being keto friendly, fitting perfectly into our keto diet.
Kitchen Gadget needed:
- Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
Ingredients needed:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Beef
- Red Paprika spice
- Curcuma
- Mushrooms
- Carrot
- Parsley
- Bone Broth
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE THE BEST KETO BEEF STEW
First Step: Ingredients
Prepare all of the ingredients, you are going to need. This will make this keto dish goulash Instant Pot super easy to put together.
Second Step: Instant Pot and oil
Switch your Instant Pot on stew and let it heat up.
When you finish heating up, add olive oil.
Third Step: Onions and Garlic
First, add all of your chopped onions and let them cook until golden brown.
Once they are done, add chopped garlic and let it simmer for a while.
Fourth Step: Beef
Cut your beef into similar sizes. Add the beef into the Pot. With a gentle and regular mixing, brown the beef and let the meat crust on the outside from all sides.
Fifth Step: Instant Pot OFF
Switch the Instant Pot off.
This step is crucial; otherwise, your paprika spice will burn and taste bitter.
Sixth Step: Paprika and Turmeric
Once the Instant Pot is switched off and the meat has cooled for about a minute, add paprika and turmeric.
Mix it thoroughly, ensuring all the meat gets coated with paprika and turmeric spices.
Seventh Step: Vegetables
Add the chopped mushrooms, carrot, and parsley, and mix the beef and vegetables.
Eighth Step: Bone Broth
Add bone broth and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the Pot.
Depending on what you are planning to cook, add the amount accordingly.
- Soup – 1 liter (4 Cups) of bone broth.
- Stew – half a liter (2 Cups) of bone broth.
Ninth Step: Pressure Cook
Close the lid. Make sure the valve on the top is closed.
Switch on the pressure and cook on high for 25 minutes.
Once it’s done, let the pot release the pressure gradually.
Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley, broccoli sprouts or dry onions and serve.
Cooking Tips for Instant Pot Keto Recipe
- Add paprika – Switch OFF your Instant Pot; otherwise, your paprika spice will burn and taste bitter.
- Mushrooms – if you do not have fresh ones, you can also use dried mushrooms.
- Extra vegetables – you can add celery, radish, or any other low carb vegetables.
- Broth – Add 4 cups of beef bone broth or beef broth if you plan to make a soup and only 2 cups of broth if you plan to make a thick stew.
- Turmeric – is optional. I add it to almost all of our dishes because of its health advantages without changing the flavor of the stew.
- Thickenings – If you need to thicken the stew a bit more, use un-fattened almond flour, coconut flour, Xanthan gum, or gelatine.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What Low Carb Recipes to Serve with Hearty Keto Goulash?
In my childhood, we used to serve only bread with goulash. Our farmers bread, buns or dinner rolls are a perfect choice.
You can also add steamed bread dumplings, mashed cauliflower, or cauliflower rice or frozen cauliflower rice as perfect side dishes to all the stews, or as a low carb alternatives to mashed potatoes.
Additionally, a spoonful of cranberry sauce will perfectly complement all the flavors.
Can I Make a Recipe for Keto Goulash on the Stove?
You certainly can. The process is a bit longer, but that is how I have been making it until purchasing our Instant Pot.
- Heat your Pot, add oil and caramelize your onion and garlic.
- Add beef pieces and cook on each site on low heat, which will prevent the beef dry.
- Switch off the low heat for 1 minute, add paprika and extra spices, and mix.
- Add a little bone broth, mix with beef and cook the beef for 2-3 hours on low heat.
- Once the meat is tender, add the vegetables and bone broth and let it simmer for another 30-40 minutes.
Why do I not have Tender Beef?
There are a few reasons why your low carb goulash meat needs to be more tender.
1. You have used more tender muscles. Here, the heat causes the protein in the meat to firm up and make your pieces tougher. Let the Pot pressurize for an hour if that is the case to ensure your beef is tender.
2. Your chunks of beef are cut into big pieces. Either cut them smaller and cook the stew for longer.
How do you Thicken Instant Pot Hungarian Goulash Recipe?
I have 3 various options you can use to thicken homemade beef stew without additional carbs:
1. Un-fattened almond flour – this is the flour I used at the beginning of our low carb journey. The consistency is similar to coconut flour, being very dry and perfect for thickening. Because almond flour does not have a strong taste, I have used approximately 1 tablespoon in all of my stews and sauces – the ideal thickening agent. If you do not have un-fattened almond flour, coconut flour might also help.
2. Xanthan gum – A pinch of Xanthan gum sprinkled on top of the stew makes a big difference. Make sure you use only a bit. Otherwise, you will end up with a thick mess. You can always add extra later if you feel your stew is not thick enough.
3. Gelatine – One of the options as well. Make sure you melt the gelatine in a small bowl with a bit of water before adding it to the soup or stew.
What is American Goulash?
This is slightly different from what you might be used to calling American goulash. The similarity is that both call for beef and paprika.
American goulash is made of minced meat, with added pasta and sometimes a tomato sauce.
How long can you keep goulash in the fridge?
Usually, you can store goulash in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. The best is to keep it in an air-tight glass container.
I love to use Mason jars. After our dinner, I always separate the leftovers into mason jars and keep some in the refrigerator, and some go straight into the freezer. In that way, my keto meal planning gets much more manageable.
You undoubtedly can; stew freezes well, which is the exact process I make. After i cook the stew, I store it in a glass container and place it in the freezer. Whenever needed, I take one of the containers out the night before and let it slowly thaw in the fridge.
The best process is to take the jar out of the freezer the night before. Place it into the refrigerator, where it will thaw automatically. Place it into a small cooking pot the next day and let it warm up. Done.If not, and in a hurry, I usually let the open jar thaw on slow heat in the microwave until I can pour the liquid into the Pot for cooking.
More Keto Dinner Recipes
Some extra Beef Left?
Any extra pieces can be used to make delicious garlic butter steak bites everyone loves.
If you are still left with more and need some of the best keto meals, try delicious keto cashew beef Thai stir fry for a change. Or a great recipe to get extra tender beef is with this braised beef heart recipe or beef shank slow cooker.
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Instant Pot Best Keto Beef Stew Recipe – Goulash
Equipment
Ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Size Onion
- 5 Cloves Garlic
- 1,1 Pounds Beef Meat
- 1,1 Pounds Mushrooms
- 4 Tablespoons Red Paprika Spice
- 1 Tablespoon Turmeric – Curcuma
- 1 Small Carrot
- 3 Tablespoons Parsley
- 2-4 Cups Bone Broth
Instructions
- Prepare all of the ingredients, you are going to need.
- Switch your Instant Pot on stew and let it heat up. When you finish heating up, add olive oil.
- First, add all of your chopped onions and let them cook until golden brown. Once they are done, add chopped garlic and let it simmer for a while.
- Cut your beef into similar sizes. Add the beef into the Pot. With a gentle and regular mixing, brown the beef and let the meat crust on the outside from all sides.
- Switch the Instant Pot off. This step is crucial; otherwise, your paprika spice will burn and taste bitter.
- Once the Instant Pot is switched off and the meat has cooled for about a minute, add paprika and turmeric. Mix it thoroughly, ensuring all the meat gets coated with paprika and turmeric spices.
- Add the chopped mushrooms, carrot, and parsley, and mix the beef and vegetables.
- Add bone broth and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the Pot. Depending on what you are planning to cook, add the amount accordingly. Soup – 1 liter (4 Cups) of bone broth. Stew – half a liter (2 Cups) of bone broth.
- Close the lid. Make sure the valve on the top is closed. Switch on the pressure and cook on high for 25 minutes. Once it's done, let the pot release the pressure gradually. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley or dry onions and serve.
Video
Notes
- Add paprika – Switch OFF your Instant Pot; otherwise, your paprika spice will burn and taste bitter.
- Mushrooms – if you do not have fresh ones, you can also use dried mushrooms.
- Extra vegetables – you can add celery, radish, or any other low carb vegetables.
- Broth – Add 4 cups of beef bone broth or beef broth if you plan to make a soup and only 2 cups of broth if you plan to make a thick stew.
- Turmeric – is optional. I add it to almost all of our dishes because of its health advantages without changing the flavor of the stew.
- Thickenings – If you need to thicken the stew a bit more, use un-fattened almond flour, coconut flour, Xanthan gum, or gelatine.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
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Keto & Low Carb Instant Pot Recipes
A convenient way to cook your keto or low-carb meals using just the Instant Pot.
Don’t have an Instant Pot and don’t plan on getting one, but would love to make a recipe like this. Can you post a “cooked on the stove” version, please.
Dear Cheryl,
I have actually wrote about the toe version in the post itself. It is the first Question under the Frequently asked Questions part.
click print & you only get the ingredients…. not the instructions ?
should work now
i added celery, red wine, daikon radish (for potato-like look/taste) & seeded jalapeño peppers…. served with cauliflower rice…. great!
What great additions you have managed. I have to try it next time.