Vegetarian Mushroom Stew has red bell pepper, onion, paprika, and sour cream and this is delicious plain, or over Cauliflower Rice! And the stew is low in carbs and gluten-free.
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I know low-carb eating can be challenging for vegetarians, so I’m feeling happy to share this delicious and low-carb Vegetarian Mushroom Stew. I’m not sure if I should be calling it a stew, because actually all the veggies are sauteed separately at relatively high heat, and then some paprika and sour cream is stirred in at the end, but the finished dish feels like a stew to me, so that’s the name I’m going with.
This mushroom stew would be delicious served over Cauliflower Rice if you wanted a more substantial meal, and if you’re doing that I might cut the veggies a bit smaller. And I wouldn’t mind a bit more sour cream added at the table either. But no matter how you eat it, this is so tasty!
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What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
- onion
- red bell pepper
- olive oil
- brown Cremini mushrooms
- paprika, preferably Szeged Paprika (affiliate link) Hungarian
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- sour cream
How to Make Vegetarian Mushroom Stew:
(Scroll down for complete recipe with nutritional information.)
- Cut the red bell pepper and the onion into short strips or slivers.
- Heat oil and cook the onions about 5 minutes, until they are starting to brown. Remove onions to a bowl.
- Add a little more oil and cook the bell pepper about 5 minutes, until a few edges are starting to char. Remove red peppers to the bowl with the onions.
- While the onions and peppers are cooking, wash mushrooms, dry, and cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick.
- Put a little more oil in the pan and cook the mushrooms until they’re well browned. Remove mushrooms to a separate bowl.
- Put the onions and peppers back into the pan, sprinkle over the paprika and cook a couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- I would always use Szeged Paprika (affiliate link) for a dish like this.
- Add the mushrooms back to the pan and heat until any accumulated juice has evaporated, then reduce heat to low and stir in the sour cream.
- Heat just until it is warmed through (do not boil) and serve immediately.
Want more ideas using mushrooms?
Check out Mushroom Recipes to see more tasty ideas for mushroom fans!
Make it a Low-Carb Meal:
This would taste great served over Cauliflower Rice or served with Cauliflower Rice with Basil, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts as a low-carb side dish.
More Low-Carb Recipes with Mushrooms:
Kale, Mushrooms, and Cheese breakfast Casserole
Stuffed Mushrooms with Olives and Feta
Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms, Balsamic, and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, peeled and cut into short strips
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeds cut out and cut into short strips
- 6 tsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 lb. brown Cremini mushrooms, washed and cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 2 tsp. Hungarian paprika, or more (see notes)
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Cut the onion and the red bell pepper into short strips or slivers.
- Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat, add the onions and cook until onion is starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the onion to a bowl.
- Add another 2 tsp. olive oil, add the bell pepper and cook until done and starting to char, about 5 minutes.
- While onions and bell peppers cook, wash the mushrooms, dry, and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices.
- Add a 2 tsp. more oil to the pan, heat the oil, and then cooked the mushrooms until they are and well-browned. (You might need to do this in two batches if your pan isn’t large enough but I fit them in the big frying pan I used.)
- Remove the mushrooms to a different bowl.
- Put the onions and red peppers back into the pan, turn heat to medium, sprinkle paprika over the veggies, and saute for about 2 minutes, until the paprika is fragrant.
- Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- Then add mushrooms and any accumulated juice and cook until the liquid has evaporated.
- Turn heat to low, wait about one minute, and then add the sour cream and gently stir to combine with the vegetables.
- Cook just until the sour cream is heated through, do not boil.
- Serve hot, over cauliflower rice if desired.
Notes
You can use sweet or sharp paprika, but I used sweet. I would always use Szeged Hungarian Paprika (affiliate link) for a recipe like this, and might even increase the amount of paprika a bit.
Recipe adapted from Mushroom Paprikas’ found in Fine Cooking Magazine; I could not find the recipe online.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 168Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 164mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 4g
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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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This Vegetarian Mushroom Stew is loaded with healthy low-carb vegetables, and should be approved for low-carb diet plans as well as any phase of the original South Beach Diet. South Beach would recommend low-fat sour cream; other low-fat diets will prefer full-fat.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Stew Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was posted in 2012. It was last updated with more information in 2021.
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Keto Short Rib Chili
Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.
There’s a definite chill in the air. Can you feel it? Well, maybe not in some parts of the country, but here in the Pacific Northwest, autumn is on its way, if not already here.
The best part of fall is the comfort food and there is no food more comforting than this short rib chili. Well, maybe my Shrimp and Bacon Chowder. Or perhaps my keto Cream of Mushroom Soup. And my Buffalo Chicken Soup is also pretty darn spectacular.
But this keto chili recipe definitely makes the short list.
Chili is and always has been one of my favorite foods, because even not very good chili is pretty darn comforting when you’re cold and hungry. How can you go wrong with meat cooked slowly in rich spices and a thick tomato broth? You can’t, that’s all. You can’t go wrong.
And the crazy part is that while I make chili all. the. time, I don’t actually have a good keto chili recipe here on All Day I Dream About Food. Until now, that is.
What makes the best keto chili?
Well, what really makes good chili is a matter of opinion and taste. And probably a few feuds as well. Everyone has their own take on the best way to make chili.
In my experience, a slow simmered chili recipe is best, as it allows the flavors to develop and intensify over time. So don’t be fooled by promises of “fast and easy”. Good chili is usually easy to make but it takes time to cook.
Keto chili should be devoid of any higher carb items like beans, though. That goes almost without saying, because beans are high in carbs and many consider them inflammatory. Onion needs to be kept to a minimum as well, since it’s surprisingly high carb.
Tomato sauce, paste, and puree can also send the carb count up if used too liberally. I like to keep my chili to less than 5g total carbs per serving, so I use a single can of diced tomatoes. Fire roasted tomatoes help bring out the best flavor.
But the focus of a good keto chili recipe should always be the meat and the spices. Use beef with a high percentage of fat for a satisfying meal, and be generous with the chili, cumin, and garlic.
Can you make keto chili ahead of time?
I find myself wanting to answer this question with a smart ass comment like “Is the pope Catholic?”. Because chili is perhaps the best make ahead meal on the planet.
It’s one of those dishes that seems to actually get better when it’s eaten the next day or even a few days later. And one of the benefits of keto chili is that there are no beans to get mushy as they sit and soften. So it’s just as good or better than the day you made it.
So go ahead and make a huge pot of this short rib chili. This particular recipe serves 10 people. Let it cool to room temperature and then split it up however you see fit. You can do individual servings, or portion it out for your family size.
The chili can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. We froze our leftovers back in May and I just fed my family the second portion about a month ago!
Because it contains acidic ingredients like tomatoes, I recommend storing in glass containers if you have them. If not, good BPA-Free tupperware works too.
Tips for making Short Rib Chili
Short ribs are ideal for comfort food dishes like this, because they are fatty and rich, and become incredibly tender with slow braising.
Always brown the ribs first: This step adds 10 minutes or so, but it’s worth it. Browning the meat in lard or oil helps bring out the best flavor, before the liquids are added. Otherwise, you are essentially just eating stewed meat. Transfer the ribs to a plate while making the rest of the chili.
Sweat the onions and other veggies: While I do keep the onion to a minimum, it definitely helps add flavor. So add the onion and green pepper to the pot and sauté in the oils and fats with a little bit of salt. This will help them release their juices and flavor.
Add the spices into the hot oil: Before adding any liquids into the pot, you want to briefly sauté the garlic, jalapeño, and spices in the hot oil. This enhances and intensifies the flavor.
Adjust the heat to your liking: My husband and I like our chili pretty spicy but our kids have more tender palates. So we keep the heat at a medium level. I always add the seeds from the jalapeño but you can leave them out if you want less spice. You can also leave out the cayenne. Or you can add more jalapeño and cayenne too.
Now add the liquids and the meat: Once the spices and garlic are fragrant, stir in the diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer before adding the meat.
Slow braise in the oven: You’re looking at a good two to three hours of cooking, but this time is completely inactive. You can be doing lots of other things during this time. Slow braising makes the meat from the short ribs fall off the bone and shred more easily.
Doesn’t this keto short rib chili sound like the perfect comfort food?
Check out my Keto Soups & Stews cookbook for more delicious comfort food recipes.

Keto Short Rib Chili
Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: keto chili, keto chili recipe, short rib chili
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 428kcal
Ingredients
- 3 lb bone in short ribs
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup bacon fat, lard, or other high-heat oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 large green pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium jalapeno pepper minced (leave the seeds in for more heat)
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
- ⅓ cup beef bone broth
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300F and season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.
In a large dutch oven over medium heat, melt the bacon fat or lard. Once hot, add half the short ribs and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and brown the remaining short ribs. Transfer to the plate.
Add the onion and pepper to the pot, sprinkle with salt, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne, and cook another minute, until fragrant.
Stir in the roasted tomatoes and bone broth and bring to a simmer. Add the short ribs back into the pot, cover and transfer to the oven.
Cook 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender. Remove the ribs, shred the meat and return the meat to the pot. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with your favorite chili toppings.
Nutrition Facts
Keto Short Rib Chili
Amount Per Serving (1 serving = about 1 cup)
Calories 428
Calories from Fat 319
% Daily Value*
Fat 35.4g54%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1.2g5%
Protein 22.6g45%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
- Calories N/A
- Total Fat N/A
- Saturated Fat N/A
- Cholesterol N/A
- Sodium N/A
- Total Carbohydrates N/A
- Protein N/A
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