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Whole30 Beef Stew

Whole30 Beef Stew made with beef chuck and a naturally reduced gravy—browned meat, then simmered until tender and thickened with an arrowroot slurry. Sweet potatoes, carrots, and cremini mushrooms cook down into the stew for a hearty, spoon-thick finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Calories: 460
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

beef chuck
  • 2.5 lb beef chuck
salt
  • 1.5 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
avocado oil or ghee
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil or ghee Use one: avocado oil OR ghee.
onion
  • 1 onion Diced.
garlic
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced.
tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
beef bone broth
  • 4 cup beef bone broth
coconut aminos
  • 2 tbsp coconut aminos
compliant Worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp compliant Worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar Use compliant Worcestershire sauce OR balsamic vinegar.
dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
bay leaf
  • 1 bay leaf
sweet potato
  • 1 sweet potato Large, cubed.
carrots
  • 3 carrots Sliced.
cremini mushrooms
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms Quartered.
arrowroot powder
  • 2 tbsp arrowroot powder Mixed with water to make a slurry.
water
  • 2 tbsp water For the arrowroot slurry.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Season the beef chuck with salt and black pepper, then heat the Dutch oven over medium-high and add the avocado oil or ghee until shimmering.
  2. Brown the beef in batches, spreading the pieces in a single layer; cook until well-browned on the outside, then transfer to a plate while you finish the rest.
Build the stew base
  1. Reduce to medium, add the diced onion, and cook for 4 minutes until softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, then cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat.
  3. Pour in the beef bone broth, then add coconut aminos, compliant Worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar, dried thyme, and bay leaf.
  4. Return the browned beef to the pot, cover, and simmer at a steady gentle bubble for 1 1/2 hours until the beef is tender.
Simmer with vegetables
  1. Add the cubed sweet potato, sliced carrots, and quartered cremini mushrooms.
  2. Cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes, stirring once, until the vegetables are tender and the gravy looks thicker.
Thicken and finish
  1. Stir arrowroot powder mixed with water into the stew until no lumps remain.
  2. Simmer for 2 minutes to thicken until the gravy coats a spoon.
  3. Remove the bay leaf and serve hot.

Notes

Pro tip: Browning in batches keeps the beef from steaming, so you get a deeper flavor before the long simmer. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove until hot. Freeze up to 2 months (thicken may loosen slightly when thawed—simmer 3–5 minutes to re-thicken). Dietary swap: For dairy-free Whole30, keep the stew compliant by using avocado oil instead of ghee if needed.