Low carb but missing traditional dinner favorites like beef stroganoff? Quickly made in the Instant Pot and paired with spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, or riced cauliflower… this hearty beef stroganoff recipe is keto, low carb, and THM:S!
Beef stroganoff… so warming, hearty, and comforting!
However, when you eat low carb, the typical beef stroganoff recipe is anything but low carb.
I’ve got great news, though: a delicious, nourishing, Instant Pot beef stroganoff recipe that IS keto, low carb, and THM:S friendly!
Plus, making this beef stroganoff recipe in your pressure cooker saves you time and energy! (Wondering which Instant Pot size is best for you? Read here to learn more!)
Why Traditional Beef Stroganoff Is Not Keto, Low Carb, Or THM:S
A typical beef stroganoff recipe is made with flour to thicken the gravy. It’s also served over cooked egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice.
In keto, low carb, and THM:S meals flour, egg noodles, potatoes, and rice are out. They are very high in carbohydrates. In these 3 meal styles, you want to keep your carbs very low.
With THM (Trim Healthy Mama), any meals that are higher in carbs must be low in fat. Beef is generally not low-fat enough to work well in a high-carb meal. Not to mention, adding sour cream bumps the fat content up, too!
Say Hello To Our Low Carb Beef Stroganoff Recipe In The Instant Pot!
Many stroganoff recipe ingredients list beef tenderloin or steak strips.
However, I’ve always used beef stew meat. While it takes longer to cook, it’s also typically more affordable than steak.
Feel free to either use beef tenderloin, steak strips, or even ground beef in this recipe. Doing so will change the preparation instructions slightly.
Keep reading for tips on using those meats instead!
How To Make Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff
Most Instant Pot-style pressure cookers have a Sauté function. So, the first thing you do is set your pressure cooker to sauté and add a healthy fat to the pot.
Add your beef and onions and sauté briefly. Next, add mushrooms and minced or pressed garlic and let it cook for a couple of minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, and some paprika. Add the beef broth, put the lid on, and set the pressure cooker to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
I add a secret liquid ingredient to my beef recipes that you may find intriguing: coffee!
It gives a lovely depth of flavor to beef dishes, but feel free to leave it out if you don’t drink coffee. I usually add about ¼ cup, or whatever is left in the coffee pot from the morning.
Waste not, want not, right?
Most beef stroganoff recipes also call for worcestershire sauce. It’s not something I often have on hand so I did not include it. You can certainly add a few dashes if you like.
Then, let the pressure cooker do all the work for you. When it’s done cooking, let it naturally release pressure for about 10 minutes then quick release the rest of the pressure. Open the lid when safe to do so.
Finally, you’ll mix in some sour cream. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
What About Thickening The Gravy?
Thickeners are tricky on low carb diets. Since flour, cornstarch, and arrowroot powder are out for most low carb diets, that leaves few options.
The sauce in this keto beef stroganoff recipe will thicken slightly after adding sour cream. Also, letting it cool a bit helps the stroganoff sauce to thicken as well.
If you are not opposed to using gluccomannan powder, that is one low carb thickening option.
Push the meat and vegetables aside in the pot, sprinkle a bit of gluccomannan powder over the sauce (not more than 1/4 teaspoon unless you have a lot of sauce). Whisk well until it begins to thicken.
Then mix together with the meat and veggies.
Not all tummies tolerate gluccomannan well, though!
In all honesty, the sauce is fine without any thickening. Besides, you can serve it over something that soaks up that sauce-y stroganoff goodness.
How To Serve Low Carb Beef Stroganoff
Now we must deal with the problem of how to serve our keto beef stroganoff.
As I mentioned earlier, regular egg noodles are out. Even healthier homemade noodles!
So, what do we do?
Thank God for creating delicious, low carb veggies that act like pasta and rice! Namely, spaghetti squash and cauliflower.
This stroganoff is delicious over a pile of buttered spaghetti squash. It’s equally tasty over cooked, riced or mashed cauliflower, or zucchini noodles.
Have you ever tried eating low carb entrees over a pile of wilted greens? Even though they don’t act like rice or pasta, greens are a terrific base for all kinds of low carb dishes.
Finally, try eating your keto beef stroganoff as-is with a salad or other favorite non-starchy veggies on the side.
Perfect Low Carb Comfort Food For Colder Evenings
Isn’t it wonderful that you don’t have to give up your favorite comfort food? Just because you’re eating low carb doesn’t mean you have to miss out.
This hearty Instant Pot beef stroganoff recipe will warm your belly on cold evenings… without causing it to expand. 😉
Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff (Keto, Low Carb, THM:S)
Low carb but missing traditional dinner favorites like beef stroganoff? Quickly made in the Instant Pot and paired with spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, or riced cauliflower... this hearty beef stroganoff recipe is keto, low carb, and THM:S!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter or other healthy fat such as coconut oil, avocado oil, etc.
- 1 onion diced
- 1.5 pounds grass-fed beef stew meat see recipe notes
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- sea salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/4 cup brewed coffee optional
- 1 cup broth I used beef
- 3/4 cup sour cream or up to 1 cup
- 4 cups spaghetti squash cooked, or other low carb noodle substitute, such as zucchini noodles, riced cauliflower, etc.
Instructions
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If using an electric cooker such as the Instant Pot, press the "Saute" function. If using a stovetop cooker, place on burner over medium heat.
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Add grass-fed butter and let melt.
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Add beef, onions, salt, and pepper. Sauté lightly.
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Add garlic and mushrooms. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes more.
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Add broth, coffee (if using), and paprika. Stir well.
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Cover the pot, checking the seal and components to make sure all is well.
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When cycle is complete, turn off (if electric cookeor remove from heat (if stovetop cooker).
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Let sit for 10 minutes to naturally release pressure.
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Then quick release any remaining pressure.
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Stir in sour cream.
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Taste, adding more salt and pepper, as desired.
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If using a thickening agent (see recipe notes), push meat and veggies to the side and sprinkle thickener over the liquid. Whisk well until liquid begins to thicken and mix with meat and veggies.
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Serve over cooked spaghetti squash or riced/mashed cauliflower.
Recipe Notes
For beef tenderloin or sirloin steak: Cut meat into cubes, saute onions and mushrooms, add meat, season, and cook as directed.
For lean ground beef or thin strips of beef: Sauté onions, mushrooms, and garlic, add ground beef or beef strips and brown slightly. Season, add broth, and pressure cook for 8 minutes. Proceed with recipe as written. Alternatively, you can use pre-cooked and drained ground beef (reduce cooking time to 5 minutes).
Cook time does not include time to pressurize or depressurize your pressure cooker. Passive time equals approximate time needed for that, which may vary depending on your machine.
Looking for more Keto friendly Instant Pot recipes?
- 52 Instant Pot Game Day Recipes For A Crowd (Keto, Paleo, Whole30, & more!)
- 71 Low-Carb & Keto Instant Pot Dinners (Whole30, Paleo, THM:S too!)
- 58 Quick, Easy, & Healthy Instant Pot Weeknight Dinners For Busy Families (allergy-friendly, too!)
- 43 Fresh & Vibrant Instant Pot Recipes For Spring (Keto, Paleo, Whole30)
- 30 Minute Meals for Special Diets!
Have you ever tried Instant Pot beef stroganoff? Do you like the combination of beef and mushrooms?
...without giving up the foods you love or spending all day in the kitchen!
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Sounds yummy; I love using my IP and as autumn weather is beginning around here this will be a welcome addition to the menu rotation. I’m glad I read down to the recipe notes though because the time/setting for the IP wasn’t mentioned in the instructions. 🙂 Blessings, K
This looks amazing, and the perfect meal to cook up as our snow thaws today. Question, how long do you cook the beef stew cubes for? I could be completely missing it, or it could also be because I’m a total newbie at using my I stand pot still, and don’t quite understand all of the times. 🙂 thanks, and we’re looking forward to one of my fav meals, but low carb now!!
I dont understand how this is “S” when it says the carb count is 13? Even when I subtract the 2 fibers it still equals 11 carbs. I thought S meals HAD to have LESS 10 carbs for a true THM S meal. Can you explain ?
Not sure where all those carbs are coming from. It’s beef, sour cream, mushrooms, butter. Unless you’re counting the veggies you’re serving it over. Also, when are you going to answer the questions of your audience regarding the cooking time? Since you are searing the meat in the IP, it’s not going to take as along as your “meat/stew” cycle would. Guidance would be appreciated.