Gado-Gado Recipe: Indonesian Vegetable Salad with Peanut Sauce
Blanched vegetables, tofu-tempeh, egg, and a serious peanut sauce
Gado-gado fails when everything is soggy or the sauce is only sweet peanut butter soup. Aim for contrasting textures: blanched vegetables still lively, crisp elements, and a sauce that is savory, sweet, tangy, and chili-warm.
Composition over chaos
Gado-gado fails when everything is soggy or the sauce is only sweet peanut butter soup. Aim for contrasting textures: blanched vegetables still lively, crisp elements, and a sauce that is savory, sweet, tangy, and chili-warm.
Core components
- Vegetables: cabbage, beansprouts, long beans, potato, cucumber
- Proteins: fried tofu, tempeh, boiled egg
- Sauce: ground peanuts, garlic, chili, palm sugar, tamarind or lime, salt, water to texture
- Toppings: crackers, fried shallots
Method outline
- Prep and fry tofu/tempeh; boil eggs; blanche vegetables; drain well.
- Make sauce: blend/pound peanuts with aromatics; season; thin to pourable.
- Arrange components; dress generously but don’t drown crunch.
- Finish with crackers and shallots; serve immediately.
Make-ahead
Keep sauce and wet vegetables separate until serving. Sauce thickens as it sits—loosen with warm water and retaste salt/acid.
Want to practice this with your hands on the mortar? Start at the cooking class Bali hub, then book an in-villa session via myCHEF cooking class.
Frequently asked questions
Is gado-gado served hot or cold?
Often room temperature to warm components with sauce; not a chilled Western salad.
Peanut butter instead of peanuts?
Possible emergency; flavor and texture differ from freshly ground peanuts.
Is it vegan?
Use vegan sauce components and skip egg.
What crackers?
Krupuk varieties are common.
Can I prep for meal prep?
Yes—store parts separately for best texture.
How spicy is traditional sauce?
Varies; chili is adjustable.
Lontong or rice?
Some versions include rice cakes (lontong); rice on the side also works.
Allergy note?
Peanuts are central—offer alternatives only as a different dish, not true gado-gado.
Why is my sauce bitter?
Burnt garlic/chili or poor peanuts; remake gently.
Jakarta vs other styles?
Regional plating and sauce textures vary across Indonesia.
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