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Southwestern Beef Stew is an amazing dinner that can be made in the Instant Pot, or use the slow cooker if you prefer that method! This low-carb and high protein beef stew recipe has tomatoes, olives, and chiles with a touch of lime, and we used a little cauliflower rice to thicken it.

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Instant Pot Southwestern Beef Stew showing finished dish in bowl with limes

Southwestern Beef Stew is so delicious for an easy dinner when it’s cold outside and you want something that’s warm and comforting! Of course I realize beef is more expensive these days, but this delicious stew uses just two pounds of beef and makes eight servings, so for many people this will make two meals, and maybe even a few servings to stash in the freezer!

And this stew that can be made in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot is loaded with Southwestern flavors, but it’s still only slightly spicy. And even though it’s quite low in carbs, this is a stew recipe the whole family will enjoy. We absolutely loved the updated version of this when we tested the recipe, and I savored it again when I took a container of it out of the freezer recently and heated it up for a quick dinner.

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)

How low in carbs is the Southwestern Beef Stew?

This delicious beef stew with south of the border flavors has only 5.6 net carbs and 36 grams of protein!

How did we adapt Southwestern Beef Stew for the Instant Pot?

Southwestern Beef Stew was a popular slow cooker recipe on my site, and I worked with Kara to create an Instant Pot version of this popular stew. We were worried there would be too much liquid in the finished stew, so we cooked a little cauliflower rice with the stew to thicken it, and that worked so perfectly! You can’t taste the cauliflower but it adds a nice texture, and we ate the stew with some chopped avocado and a squeeze of extra lime added at the table, which I recommend whichever version you end up making!

Where did I get the Mexican Salt and Pepper Shakers?

Those authentically Mexican salt and paper shakers in the photo are from Gorky Pottery in Guanajuato, Mexico and I had fun visiting their factory and seeing how the Mexican pottery is made. And if you ever make it to Guanajuato, I highly recommend a tour of the factory! (Not sponsored; I just love their pottery!)

Instant Pot or Slow Cooker?

I use 6 Quart Instant Pot (affiliate link) for all my Instant Pot Recipes. I used a 3.5 Quart Slow Cooker (affiliate link) for making this recipe in the slow cooker. Check out my other Instant Pot Recipes or Slow Cooker Recipes.

Instant Pot (or Slow Cooker) Low-Carb Beef Stew process shots collage

How to Make Southwestern Beef Stew:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe that has both Instant Pot or Slow Cooker instructions. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Cut beef into bite-sized cubes. Heat a little olive oil in a big frying pan and brown the beef well, seasoning with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
  2. While beef browns chop up onion and Poblano chile, and measure out minced garlic.
  3. Heat 2 tsp. oil in the Instant Pot and set to SAUTE, MEDIUM HEAT. Add the chopped onion and poblano and cook 3 minutes. Then add garlic and cook one minute more.
  4. Drain olives and cut in half and measure out cauliflower rice. 
  5. When beef is well-browned, add to the Instant Pot on top of the onion mixture, and add the olives and cauliflower rice.
  6. Put beef broth, salsa, ground cumin, Mexican oregano, and crushed tomatoes into the pan where you cooked the beef. Simmer about 5 minutes, scraping off any browned bits. Then add that to the Instant Pot. 
  7. Set Instant Pot on MANUAL, HIGH PRESSURE, 25 minutes. When cooking time ends, let it natural release for at least 10 minutes; then release the rest of the pressure.
  8. Stir in lime juice, and taste to see if you want more salt.
  9. Serve the beef stew with chopped avocado and fresh limes to add at the table if desired. This is good with Green Tabasco Sauce (affiliate link) for those who want a little more heat.
  10. Scroll down to the complete recipe for slow cooker instructions.

Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Low-Carb Beef Stew close-up photo

Make it a Low-Carb Meal:

This slightly spicy Southwestern Beef Stew would be delicious just eaten as a one-dish meal. If you wanted to add something more you could serve it with Savory Almond Flour Bread, Spicy Mexican Slaw, or Puerto Rican Spicy Cabbage Salad.

More Spicy Beef in the Slow Cooker or Instant Pot:

Instant Pot (or Slow Cooker) Low-Carb Southwestern Beef Stew close-up photo
Yield: 8 servings

Southwestern Beef Stew

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

You'll love this Southwestern Beef Stew with tomatoes, olives, and chiles and a touch of lime! And this tasty stew with Southwest flavors can be made in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot, just scroll down to see slow cooker instructions.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. bite-sized beef cubes, preferably chuck roast (see notes)
  • 4 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped small
  • 1 medium Poblano chile pepper, chopped small (see notes)
  • 1 T crushed fresh garlic or minced garlic
  • 2 cans black olives, drained well and cut in half lengthwise
  • 1 cup frozen cauliflower rice
  • 1 14 oz. can beef broth
  • 1 cup salsa (see notes)
  • 1 T ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
  • 1 14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 T fresh-squeezed lime juice
  • chopped avocado, Green Tabasco Sauce, and fresh lime slices to add at the table, optional

Instructions

  1. Cut beef into bite-sized cubes. Heat a little olive oil in a big frying pan and brown the beef cubes well, seasoning with a little salt and fresh ground black pepper.
  2. While beef browns chop up a medium onion, a medium poblano chile, and measure out minced garlic.
  3. Heat 2 tsp. oil in the Instant Pot and set to SAUTE, MEDIUM HEAT. Add the chopped onion and poblano and cook 3 minutes. Then add garlic and cook one minute more.
  4. Drain olives and cut in half and measure out cauliflower rice.
  5. When beef is well-browned, add it to the Instant Pot with the onion mixture, and add the olives and cauliflower rice.
  6. Put beef broth, salsa, ground cumin, Mexican oregano, and crushed tomatoes into the pan you cooked the beef in. Simmer that mixture together about 5 minutes, scraping off any browned bits from the bottom. Then add that mixture to the Instant Pot.
  7. Set Instant Pot on MANUAL, HIGH PRESSURE, 25 minutes. When cooking time ends, let it natural release for at least 10 minutes; then release the rest of the pressure.
  8. Stir in lime juice, and taste to see if you want more salt.
  9. Serve with chopped avocado and fresh limes to add at the table if desired. This is good with Green Tabasco Sauce (affiliate link) for those who want a little more heat.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

  1. Put the 14 oz. of beef broth into a small saucepan on the stove and simmer to reduce to 3/4 cup.
  2. Chop up onions, poblano chile, and prepare garlic. Heat 2 tsp. oil in the frying pan and saute onions and poblanos about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more, then add those ingredients to the slow cooker.
  3. Follow instructions above for preparing and browning beef and add it to the slow cooker.
  4. After you brown the beef add the reduced amount of beef stock (3/4 cup) to the frying pan with the salsa, spices, and crushed tomatoes and simmer as above. Add that mixture to the slow cooker with the drained and sliced olives and cauliflower rice.
  5. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours (or a little longer won't hurt.) You could probably cook on high for 3-4 hours but I prefer low heat for beef in the slow cooker if you have time.
  6. Stir in the lime juice and serve as above.

Notes

I started with a 3 pound beef chuck roast, which was just over two pounds after I trimmed away all the fatty parts.

Poblano chiles are sometimes called Pasilla Chiles in U.S. grocery stores.

Be sure to choose a salsa without added sugar. I use Pace Picante Sauce (affiliate link) which has only 16 carbs in one cup.

Optional avocado, extra lime juice, and Green Tabasco Sauce are not included in nutritional information.

Recipe originally created for the slow cooker by Kalyn and adapted for the Instant Pot with help from Kara.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 468Total Fat 31gSaturated Fat 10gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 107mgSodium 628mgCarbohydrates 9.6gFiber 4gSugar 5gProtein 36g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

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© Kalyn Denny
Category: Instant Pot
Square image for Low-Carb Southwestern Beef Stew shown in terra cotta bowl with limes and Mexican salt and pepper shakers.

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This Southwestern Beef Stew would be a great dinner for low-carb and Keto diets. If you use lean beef it will work for all phases of the original South Beach Diet.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Instant Pot Recipes or Slow Cooker Recipes for more ideas like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This beef stew recipe with Southwestern flavors was first posted in the slow cooker in 2013. The recipe was updated with an Instant Pot option and better photos in 2019, and it was last updated with more information in 2025.

Pinterest image of Southwestern Beef Stew

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