Low-Carb Beef Vindaloo

I am so excited to share with you my take on the classic Indian dish, Beef Vindaloo.

But, before we dive into the recipe, let me tell you what makes this dish special. Not only is it low-carb, but it also uses shirataki rice or cauliflower rice instead of traditional rice. This means it's perfect for those following a low-carb diet and it is also high in protein, making it great for batch cooking or meal prepping.

I love this recipe because it packs a punch of flavor with its spicy, tangy and slightly sweet taste, but also it is so versatile, you can enjoy it on its own or with some cauliflower rice, shirataki rice or even some Naan Bread.

So, whether you're looking to spice up your weekly meal rotation or want to try something new, this Beef Vindaloo recipe is sure to satisfy. Let's get cooking and I promise, it will be a dish that will become a staple in your kitchen.

Recipe Tips

Adjust the heat to your liking. Most vindaloo recipes ask for kashmiri chili powder but you can use fresh or dried chillies of choice. When it comes to heat levels, everyone has their own preference. The great thing about this recipe is that you can adjust the heat to your liking by using different types of chillies. If you want a milder version of the dish, use fewer chillies or opt for a sweeter type, such as pimentos. If you like it hot, increase the amount of chillies or use a hotter variety like habaneros. You can also add or reduce the amount of chile powder to taste.

You can make this easy beef stew in a slow cooker or pressure cooker. If you're using a slow cooker, cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. If you're using a pressure cooker, such as the Instant pot, first use the Sautee function to brown the onion and make the sauce, and then add the marinated meat and cook on Manual, high pressure for 45 minutes.

Try this recipe with other meats! Although we are using beef, this recipe will work well with lamb, pork or even chicken (adjust cooking times accordingly).

How to Serve Beef Vindaloo

This low-carb Beef Vindaloo goes best with the following sides:

• Palmini rice — palmini rice is cooked so you'll only need to drain and rinse it, and then briefly heat up in a microwave or add to the pan with the curry sauce.
• Cauliflower rice — here's how to prepare cauliflower rice.
• Shirataki rice — here's how to prepare shirataki rice.
• Keto Naan Bread — easy to make low-carb flatbread.
• To make an easy one pot meal, add the vegetable you plan to eat it with into the pot with the beef. You can use chopped okra, cauliflower, eggplant, zucchini or broccoli.

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Step-by-step

1. Start by toasting the spices. Place 3 tsp coriander seeds, 2 tsp cumin seeds, ¹/₂ tsp peppercorns, 4 cloves, 2 cardamom pods and ¹/₂ tsp mustard seeds in a hot dry pan and toast on medium for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant.

   

2. Make the curry paste, use a blender or food processor. Add the toasted seeds, peeled and roughly chopped garlic cloves and ginger, chillies, vinegar and olive oil. Optionally, you can add a teaspoon of granulated low-carb sweetener. Process until smooth.
   Note: You can use 1-2 fresh chillies with seeds removed, or use 2 to 3 teaspoons of kashmiri chili powder.

   

3. Cut the beef into large chunks and place in a bowl. Pour over the curry paste.

   

4. Stir to coat from all sides, cover with a cling film and place in the fridge to marinate for at least one hour, or overnight.

   

5. When ready to make the stew, preheat the oven to 170 °C/ 340 °F (fan assisted), or 190 °C/ 375 °F (conventional). Chop the onion (plus fresh tomatoes if using instead of canned tomatoes).

   

6. Grease a large oven-friendly pot with avocado oil (or ghee). Add the chopped onion and cook on medium-high until fragrant and lightly browned, for 3 to 5 minutes.

7. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and beef stock (or water). Bring to a boil and then take off the heat.

   

8. Add the marinated beef and stir to combine. Cover with a lid, place in the oven and bake for 1.5 to 2 hours.

   

9. When done, the meat will be fall-apart tender. Eat warm or let it cool down and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months.

   

10. To serve, you can add cilantro (or parsley) and eat with palmini rice, cauliflower rice or shirataki rice. You can also serve it with our Keto Naan Bread.

    

Recipe

Low-Carb Beef Vindaloo

★★★★★4.9 (13 ratings)

Spice up your meal routine with our low-carb version of the classic Indian dish, Beef Vindaloo. High in ...

Hands on

30m

Overall

3h 30m

Servings

6

6.2 g

Net carbs

38.3 g

Protein

22.3 g

Fat

381

kcal

1 serving2 servings3 servings4 servings5 servings6 servings7 servings8 servings9 servings10 servings11 servings12 servings18 servings24 servings

US + metricMetricUS

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Ingredients makes 6 servings

• Marinated beef:
• 3 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• ¹/₂ tsp black peppercorns
• 4 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods
• ¹/₂ tsp mustard seeds
• 2-inch piece ginger or 2 tsp ginger powder
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 to 2 small fresh chile peppers or 2 to 3 tsp kashmiri chili powder (adjust heat to taste!)
• 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar (60 ml)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (30 ml)
• Optional: 1 tsp Allulose or Erythritol
• 1 kg braising beef steak, cut into chunks (2.2 lbs)
• Stew:
• 1 large brown onion, chopped (150 g/ 3.5 oz)
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes or 2 medium chopped tomatoes (250 g/ 8.8 oz)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin avocado oil or ghee (30 ml)
• 4 tbsp tomato paste (60 g/ 2.1 oz)
• 1 cup beef stock or water (240 ml/ 8 fl oz)
• 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
• Optional: fresh cilantro or parsley to serve and palmini rice, shirataki rice, cauliflower rice or Keto Naan Bread to serve as a side

Instructions

1. Start by toasting the spices. Place 3 tsp coriander seeds, 2 tsp cumin seeds, ¹/₂ tsp peppercorns, 4 cloves, 2 cardamom pods and ¹/₂ tsp mustard seeds in a hot dry pan and toast on medium for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant.

2. Make the curry paste, use a blender or food processor. Add the toasted seeds, peeled and roughly chopped garlic cloves and ginger, chillies, vinegar and olive oil. Optionally, you can add a teaspoon of granulated low-carb sweetener. Process until smooth.
   Note: You can use 1-2 fresh chillies with seeds removed, or use 2 to 3 teaspoons of kashmiri chili powder.

3. Cut the beef into large chunks and place in a bowl. Pour over the curry paste.

4. Stir to coat from all sides, cover with a cling film and place in the fridge to marinate for at least one hour, or overnight.

5. When ready to make the stew, preheat the oven to 170 °C/ 340 °F (fan assisted), or 190 °C/ 375 °F (conventional). Chop the onion (plus fresh tomatoes if using instead of canned tomatoes).

6. Grease a large oven-friendly pot with avocado oil (or ghee). Add the chopped onion and cook on medium-high until fragrant and lightly browned, for 3 to 5 minutes.

7. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and beef stock (or water). Bring to a boil and then take off the heat.

8. Add the marinated beef and stir to combine. Cover with a lid, place in the oven and bake for 1.5 to 2 hours.

9. When done, the meat will be fall-apart tender. Eat warm or let it cool down and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months.

10. To serve, you can add cilantro (or parsley) and eat with palmini rice, cauliflower rice or shirataki rice. You can also serve it with our Keto Naan Bread.

Nutrition per serving, about 225 g/ 8 oz

Carbs 7%Protein 40%Fat 53% of calories

Net carbs

6.2 g

Total carbs

8.3 g

Fiber

2.1 g

Sugars

3.4 g

Protein

38.3 g

Fat

22.3 g

Saturated fat

5.2 g

Calories

381 kcal

Sodium

589 mg · 25.6% RDA

Magnesium

76 mg · 19.1% RDA

Potassium

939 mg · 47% EMR

Nutrition by ingredient

Per about 225 g/ 8 oz	Net carbs	Protein	Fat	kcal
Spices, coriander seed	0.1 g	0.1 g	0.2 g	3
Cumin, spices	0.2 g	0.1 g	0.2 g	3
Pepper, black, spices	0.1 g	0 g	0 g	1
Cloves, spices	0.1 g	0 g	0 g	1
Cardamom whole, dried	0.1 g	0 g	0 g	1
Mustard seed, whole, spices	0 g	0.1 g	0.1 g	1
Ginger root, fresh	0.4 g	0 g	0 g	2
Garlic, fresh	0.9 g	0.2 g	0 g	4
Turmeric, spices (dried, ground)	0.2 g	0 g	0 g	2
Peppers, chile (chili), fresh	0.1 g	0 g	0 g	1
Apple cider vinegar	0.1 g	0 g	0 g	2
Olive oil, extra virgin	0 g	0 g	9 g	80
Beef, chuck for stew, separable lean and fat, all grades, raw	0.3 g	36.3 g	7.5 g	213
Onion, brown (yellow), raw	1.6 g	0.2 g	0 g	9
Tomatoes, fresh	1.1 g	0.4 g	0.1 g	7
Avocado oil, extra virgin	0 g	0 g	4.7 g	41
Tomato purée (paste, unsweetened)	0.7 g	0.2 g	0 g	4
Beef bone broth, beef stock	0.1 g	0.6 g	0.5 g	7
Salt, sea salt	0 g	0 g	0 g	0
Total	6.2 g	38.3 g	22.3 g	381

Serving size about 225 g/ 8 oz

• Gluten free
• Dairy free
• Egg free
• Nut free
• Pork free
• Avocado free
• Coconut free
• Fish free
• Shellfish free