Easy Gluten-Free Beef Stew

This gluten-free beef stew is the ultimate comforting dinner and is perfect for warming up on a cold day. This hearty beef stew with tender beef chunks, potatoes, carrots, and green peas is a family favorite. You can make it the traditional way on the stovetop or make it in the instant pot or slow cooker.

This gluten-free beef stew recipe is one of my favorite recipes to make when the weather gets chilly out. It's hearty and comforting and made with real, simple ingredients. It's the ultimate slow-cooked beef dinner that the whole family will love, and go back to for seconds to enjoy some more!

If you like comfort food recipes, you'll also like my Slow Cooked Boneless Short Ribs, Gluten-free Chili, and Chicken Pot Pie.

Jump to:

• Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
• How to Make?
• Tips and Tricks
• Alternate Cooking Methods
• Serving Suggestions
• Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
• More Gluten-Free Soups
• 📖 Recipe

Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

This gluten-free stew recipe is made with real ingredients. You won't find any flavor packets here. Just simple, easy ingredients that give you the most delicious dinner every time.

• Beef Roast: You can use whatever kind of beef roast you like. You can even buy already cut and packaged stew meat, so you don't have to cut your own. You'll often see packages labeled as chuck steak or braising steak. You want to choose a tougher cut of meat so as it cooks, the collagen breaks down, and the meat becomes tender and not mushy. I tend to opt for a boneless chuck roast.
• Potatoes: I use either yellow potatoes or mini-roasting potatoes. I also don't tend to peel these potatoes for this gluten-free stew recipe because I like the added texture.
• Onion: I used a white onion. You can add your favorite type of onion to change the taste.
• Mushrooms: If you don't like mushrooms, leave them out and replace them with more carrots. However, they give a nice umami flavor. They also give a fantastic meaty texture.
• Carrots: Don't cut your carrots really small. Carrots cook fast when in liquid, and you could end up with mushy carrots if you cut them really small. I tend to keep them in about one-inch-sized pieces.
• Peas: I love the pop of freshness peas added at the end of cooking this gluten-free beef stew recipe. However, if you don't like peas, you can leave them out or substitute another green, like green beans, if you prefer.
• Tomatoes: I used a can of tomatoes. You can also skip and use additional tomato paste if you prefer.
• Beef Stock: Always read the labels and ensure your beef stock is gluten-free since not all beef stocks and broths sold in the stores are gluten-free.
• Arrowroot Starch: It improves the texture! You can use equal parts cornstarch instead of arrowroot.
• Tomato Paste: When tomato paste is used, stew has a thicker, heartier texture.
• Dijon Mustard and Apple Cider Vinegar: To enhance the flavor.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce comes in many varieties and sometimes includes barley malt vinegar. I use the Lea and Perrins brand Worcestershire sauce, and it is labeled gluten-free. If you can't find gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, you can substitute it with gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos.
• Olive Oil: A little oil in the pan makes the beef cook better, but you don't need much.
• Spices: You'll need garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and thyme.

How to Make?

This gluten-free beef stew recipe comes together with just a few simple steps and then letting it go low and slow.

1. Combine the meat cubes, arrowroot powder, and half the salt and pepper in a bowl.
2. Now, heat the olive oil in a big pot over medium-high heat. Sear the pieces of beef in the olive oil until all sides are browned. Remove the seared beef from the pan and put aside.
3. Sauté the chopped mushrooms and onions in the skillet until they soften and begin to brown.
4. Now add the beef, tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar to the pot.
5. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the potatoes, carrots, and spices to the pot once the meat has softened.
6. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour or until the potatoes and carrots are fork-soft. Check your seasonings and adjust as needed, then stir in the peas.

7. And it's ready. Enjoy a warm serving.

Tips and Tricks

• Season the beef well - I always season the beef well when I coat it before searing. This adds more flavor to the individual pieces of beef in the stew and more flavor to the gluten-free stew.
• Sear the meat - While skipping this step won't ruin the recipe, it won't help it either. Trust me, taking just a few minutes to sear the meat before cooking this stew will make a difference in the beef's final flavor and tenderness.
• Saute the onions and mushrooms - Just as searing the meat helps, taking the time to saute the mushrooms and onions will yield more flavor and better texture. Trust me; you don't just want boiled mushrooms and onions in your gluten-free stew.
• Thinner or thicker stew - This gluten-free stew recipe uses arrowroot starch on the beef to help thicken the beef stew slowly as it cooks. If you find you want to change the final consistency of the stew, you can. If you want your stew thicker, combine a little bit of the broth from the stew into a small bowl with more arrowroot starch or corn starch to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the pot and let it simmer for a few more minutes until the stew has thickened. Do NOT just add more starch to your pot dry. You will end up with pieces of uncooked starch in your stew. If you want a thinner stew, just add more gluten-free beef stock to the pot as it cooks.
• Adjust the spices - Because this stew goes low and slow for a few hours, you want to ensure you check that the gluten-free beef stew seasonings are right, particularly salt. I always tend to reserve salt and taste and adjust as needed when adding the peas.
• Add wine - I don't add it often because I don't keep it on hand, but if you want to up the flavor of this beef stew, feel free to add about a cup of your favorite red wine.

Alternate Cooking Methods

This gluten-free beef stew recipe cooks on the stove. However, you can easily cook this stew recipe in a slow cooker or even in an instant pot if you prefer.

Gluten-Free Beef Stew in a Slow Cooker

1. Follow the steps to sear the meat and saute the mushrooms and onions.
2. Then, transfer the remaining ingredients (except veggies) to the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
3. Then, 2 hours before serving, add the potatoes and carrots.
4. Stir in the green peas 30 minutes before serving.

Gluten-free Beef Stew in an Instant Pot

For the best results, follow these tips.

• Sear your meat and veggies on saute mode, similar to the stovetop method.
• Cook the meat and veggies with the liquids on meat/ stew settings (or about 35 minutes on high pressure).
• Stir in the peas once pressure is released.
• If you need to thicken your stew once it's cooked, make a slurry of the broth and more starch. Add it after the peas with the instant pot on saute until it thickens as desired.

Serving Suggestions

This gluten-free beef stew is perfect for an all-in-one dinner, but sometimes, adding something to the side is nice. My cassava flour French bread or gluten-free garlic bread is delicious dipped into this stew, but it's also great paired with some gluten-free naan or even some gluten-free cornbread.

If you are serving to a gathering, then include some side dishes such as mashed sweet potatoes, Caesar salad, or Lemon Garlic Asparagus.

Storing, Freezing, and Reheating

• This gluten-free beef stew will stay good in the fridge for about 2-3 days after it is made.
• If you want to freeze this stew, you can. Just let it completely cool and place it in a freezer-safe container. Once frozen, it can be stored for up to three months.
• To reheat, let the stew defrost as needed in the fridge and then warm it up on the stove or in the microwave until hot before serving.

More Gluten-Free Soups

Soup is always a good idea. Give some of these gluten-free soups a try next.

📖 Recipe