Guys, it’s almost Christmas!!
Are you ready? I’m starting to feel that way. This past weekend I finished my Christmas shopping and got almost everything wrapped. I don’t know about you, but the process of wrapping gifts and writing cards is one of my favourite holiday traditions. A Christmas playlist, cozy socks, oversized sweater, big mug of tea, an Almond Chocolate Chunk Granola Bar, jelly pens, scissors, tape, wrapping paper, and a stack of cards and envelopes… it was a Sunday very well spent!
I’ll be headed to visit my dad in Victoria for a few days, and am looking forward to unplugging and getting some quality rest before the new year. With that in mind, next week things will be quiet here on the blog on Monday. I’ll be in full-on Christmas festivities mode, away from my computer, and I hope you’ll be doing the same. Or, if you’re not celebrating, perhaps connecting with the people who matter most in your life. I’ll be back Wednesday with something delicious, but in the meantime…..
….I realized it’s been all fall and part of winter, and not a single soup or stew recipe has been posted. WHAT is winter without soup and stew?! It’s bleak. It’s cold. It’s lonely. No more, I say! Let’s fix that.
Being a big lover of veggies, whenever I make any sort of recipe, vegetables usually make up a hefty portion. This Paleo One-Pot Beef and Vegetable Stew is no exception – I’ve packed it with carrots, celery, baby potatoes and peas, all super simple ingredients but oh-so-comforting at this time of year. With that said, you could totally add whatever seasonal vegetables you have on hand in the same quantities as indicated in the recipe – winter squash, turnip, parsnips – all of that would work beautifully.
What’s even more awesome about this stew is that you can (as the name implies) make all the magic happen in just one pot. Nobody’s got time for doing extra dishes, right?
One small note: As part of my recent learning about how to cook different types of beef, I did some reading around the best way to prepare top round roast for a stew like this. It turns out that dredging it in flour before browning helps to improve the texture and flavour, so that’s exactly what I did.
While this recipe has ‘paleo’ in the title, those of you who follow a strict paleo diet might not be so keen on the flour bit. If that’s the case, I recommend using almond flour instead. Alternatively you can skip the step, but I highly recommend putting in the few minutes of extra effort because the payoff in taste is worth it!
Paleo One-Pot Beef and Vegetable Stew
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
With just one pot needed, this Paleo One-Pot Beef and Vegetable Stew is high in protein and perfect for batch cooking in the colder months.
Ingredients
For the beef
- 1lb beef roast, chopped into 1″ cubes (I used top round roast)
- 3 tbsp brown rice flour (To keep this strict paleo, swap in almond flour. If you’re not too concerned about the small amount used, feel free to use your gluten-free flour of choice.)
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning (or whatever dried herbs you have on hand)
- 1/2 tsp each garlic powder and sea salt
For the rest:
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, divided (or see note for substitute)
- 4 cloves peeled and chopped garlic
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 2 cups diced celery
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 tbsp dark balsamic vinegar
- 1.5lbs baby potatoes, scrubbed and halved or quartered
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (or do as I did, and swap 1 tsp low sodium tamari, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and a generous shake of hot sauce)
- 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 cups low sodium broth (beef or vegetable)
- 2 cups frozen green peas
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- For the beef: In a resealable bag, combine all ingredients for the beef, except the beef itself. Once well combined, add the beef cubes, seal, and shake to coat.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large soup pot. Once hot, Swirl it around the pan. Add the beef cubes and brown them on all sides. (You’ll probably have to work in batches because you don’t want to crowd the pot.) Once all meat has browned, transfer it to a bowl.
- Pour 1 more tablespoon of oil into the pot, again over high heat. Sautee the garlic, onion, celery and carrots until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir constantly. scraping up the brown bits.
- Add the balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, and a couple of tablespoons of the broth. Continue stirring for another 2-3 minutes, again, scraping up the flavourful brown bits from the bottom.
- Add the potatoes, seasonings and 4 cups of broth to the pot. Stir well to combine and bring the stew to a boil. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to medium low and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Stir in the meat, peas and remaining 1 cup broth into the stew. Cover with a lid and cook on medium-low for 15 more minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf. Adjust seasonings to taste with sea salt and pepper, then ladle into bowls and serve.
Notes
I’ve used avocado oil because it has a higher smoke point compared to other better-for-you oils. This means it withstands high heat cooking better without damaging it. If you don’t have avocado oil, feel free to swap for a high-quality olive oil.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: soups + stews
- Method: stovetop
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