How To Make Low FODMAP Beef Stew (Stove Top)

This low FODMAP beef stew is a recipe I’m really proud of. This low FODMAP beef stew recipe is comforting, hearty, and has all the amazing flavors of a traditional beef stew without onions or garlic. 

It’s rich in flavor, has a deep dark brown color, and feels like a warm hug in a bowl. Want to make this recipe at home? Kick up your feet and have a little read about this low FODMAP beef stew recipe:

Note: I made this recipe in about 30 minutes because I used pre-cooked meat pieces from the low FODMAP beef stock recipe. Otherwise, this recipe takes about an hour or so for the meat to soften.

It all starts with an amazing base of homemade low FODMAP beef stock -which only takes 30 minutes! 

Make Your Own Low FODMAP Beef Stock

There are a few in-store low FODMAP beef stock options but most beef stocks are made with high FODMAP ingredients. I’ve got a list of brands that carry FODMAP-friendly beef stock concentrates, cubes, or broths right here.

But you can easily make your own at home. This beef stock recipe is quick, easy, and packed with flavor. It’s the base of this low FODMAP beef stew recipe and is made with the green tops of a leek, some carrots, thyme, bay leaf, and tomato concentrate. 

You can also try making this recipe low FODMAP beef broth. It works amazingly with this beef stew recipe and has fewer ingredients too.

Having a good stock is important because it’s the heart and soul of any beef stew. Before we make some stew, let’s cover some FODMAP notes.

Add-Ins And Substitutes 

This recipe works great because it’s really flexible. You can substitute everything from the protein to the vegetables and herbs. Here are some substitute ideas:

• Beef: Swap out beef chunks for boney cuts of meat like shanks or tail. You can also play around with the protein and use lamb or venison instead.
• Herbs: I used thyme and bay leaf but you can use oregano, rosemary, or add green leeks. 
• Add Spices: Try adding spices like clove, cinnamon stick, or star anise to add more aromatics.  
• Vegetables: Potatoes and carrots are classics but any slow cooking root vegetable will work. You can also use canned sweetcorn kernels or green beans. Not sure of the FODMAP content? Check out these articles:

“Are Green Beans FODMAP Friendly?”

“Is Corn Low FODMAP? Everything About Corn Products” or “Is Sweetcorn Low FODMAP?”

• Garnishes: Top off this stew with a sprinkle of black pepper, green scallions, chives, chopped parsley, cilantro or even a drizzle of lactose free cream for richness. 

Adding some of your favorite ingredients will change the FODMAP levels of this stew. Not making any changes to this recipe? The next section is a brief look at the FODMAP notes of this low FODMAP beef stew if you’re sticking to the original recipe.

FODMAP Notes

I’m going to quickly go over the low FODMAP notes in this portion of the post. All the information regarding serving sizes and FODMAP levels are collected from Monash University’s FODMAP App:

• Beef is a protein and has no FODMAPs.
• Carrots are also FODMAP free.
• Thyme and bay leaf are low FODMAP herbs,
• Potatoes are low FODMAP at 2 ¾ ounces or 75 grams. That’s roughly half a medium sized potato. 
• Cornstarch or corn flour is low FODMAP at 100 grams or 2/3 cups.

The low FODMAP beef stock recipe contains:

• Green tops of leeks which have a recommended serving size of 2/3 cups. update Dec 2022: Leek leaves have been updated and are low FODMAP at 1 cup or 100 grams. Read all about leeks here: Are Leeks Low FODMAP?
• Thyme and bay leaf.
• 1 tsp tomato paste or concentrate which is low FODMAP at 2 tablespoons.

Let’s make some low FODMAP beef stew now that we’ve covered all the FODMAP notes for the ingredients.

How To Make Stove Top Low FODMAP Beef Stew

This recipe is just the thing you need if you’re looking for cheap low FODMAP meals or easy low FODMAP recipes. I kept it classic with potatoes and carrots but you can switch up the vegetables to whatever you like or have in the fridge that week.

The best thing about this low carb beef soup (aside from being low FODMAP) is that it’s completely flexible. I also love that it comes together relatively quickly and doesn’t take hours to cook or require an instant pot or slow cooker. 

Tip: Use a heavy bottomed large pot or dutch oven to make stew. This will prevent the ingredients from burning and create an amazing caramelized base for the stew. 

Ready? Let’s get cooking!

Step One: Sear The Meat

Cut the beef into small or bite sized chunks. This will ensure a shorter cooking time. Heat a large heavy bottomed pot while you’re cutting the meat. Turn the heat to high and add the garlic oil to the pot. 

Sear the meat on each side until golden brown. Do this in batches. Overcrowding the meat in the pot will lead to steam and gray pieces of meat. Searing all the meat will probably take 2-5 minutes.

Add all the seared beef to the pot, turn the heat down to medium and move on to step two!

Step Two: Adding A Thickener

Add the bay leaf and thyme to the meat and saute everything for a minute. If you’re using store bought stock: add a teaspoon of tomato concentrate and saute it for another minute. Then sprinkle in the cornstarch and mix everything together.

The cornstarch will change this low carb vegetable beef soup to a beef stew. It will thicken the stew and give it a lovely thick but runny consistency. Add 500 ml of water to the pot to avoid any cornstarch clumps.

Add the beef stock and stir it all together. Cook this stew for about 40 minutes and then move on to the final step.

Step Three: Add The Vegetables

Adding the vegetables after 40 minutes is important because it means the beef can soften partially without the potatoes and carrots turning into mush. Add the vegetables to the beef stew and cook for another 20 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are fork tender. 

Season the low FODMAP beef stew with salt and a dash of pepper. Garnish with green scallions, cilantro or parsley and enjoy a deliciously warm stew. Looking for more comforting food on an IBS low FODMAP diet? 

Check out all of these low FODMAP recipes:

Thai Noodle Soup

Italian Spaghetti Ragu Sauce

Bone Broth

Chicken Broth 

Print Recipe

Low FODMAP Beef Stew

Dinner

By yummyble – Serves: 4-5

Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cooking Time: 1 hour 5 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Make amazing low FODMAP beef stew that's rich in flavor and feels like a warm hug on a cold day. This recipe can be made in 30 minutes if you use the pre-cooked meat pieces from the low FODMAP beef stock recipe. Otherwise, this recipe takes about an hour or so for the meat to soften.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb or 600 grams beef (chopped into bite sized pieces)
• 6 cups or 1.5 L low FODMAP beef stock or low FODMAP bone broth
• If using store bought beef stock: add 1 tbs tomato concentrate to the ingredients list
• 2 cups or 500ml water
• 1 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 1/2 cup chopped potatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 2 tbs oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbs corn starch
• *optional: the green tops of one leek

Instructions

1

Add garlic oil to a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven on high heat.

2

Cut the meat into bite sized pieces.

3

Sear the pieces of beef until golden brown. This should take 2 minutes.

4

Turn the heat down to medium and add herbs. Saute everything for a minute.

If using store bough beef stock, add 1 tbs tomato concentrate and saute for a minute.

5

Add the cornstarch and stir through.

6

Add 2 cups of water and mix everything together to remove any lumps.

7

Turn the heat down to medium low, add beef stock to the pot and cook for 40 minutes. *See notes

8

Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for 20 minutes.

9

Once reduced, season with salt.

Notes

If using the meat pieces from the low FODMAP beef stock recipe: Add the already cooked meat from the low FODMAP beef stock recipe with the potatoes and carrots and cook for 25 minutes.