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Indonesian

Gado-Gado (Indonesian Peanut Vegetable Salad)

Gado-gado is an Indonesian vegetable salad with blanched vegetables, tofu, tempeh, egg, and a thick peanut-tamarind dressing.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 2 September 2026Updated

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Gado-Gado (Indonesian Peanut Vegetable Salad)

40 mintotal

Prep 25 min · Cook 15 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
Mild
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

No inactive time is required; blanch and drain the vegetables before making the sauce so the salad stays crisp and not watery.

Method

  1. Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Blanch the green beans, cabbage, and bean sprouts separately until bright and just tender, then drain well.

  2. Heat the measured cooking oil in a pan. Sear the tofu and tempeh until lightly golden on both sides.

  3. Crush the roasted peanuts to a coarse paste with the garlic, red chilli sauce, tamarind paste, sweet soy sauce, lemon juice, and salt.

  4. Loosen the peanut sauce with a little warm water until it coats the back of a spoon but still falls slowly.

  5. Arrange the potato, blanched vegetables, cucumber, carrot, tofu, tempeh, and boiled eggs on a serving plate.

  6. Spoon the peanut sauce over the salad just before serving so the vegetables keep their texture.

How to tell it's done

The sauce should be thick, nutty, and spoonable, while the vegetables should remain bright and slightly crisp.

Getting it right

Tip

Keep the vegetables only lightly blanched; gado-gado works best when the salad has contrast between crisp vegetables and rich sauce.

What to serve it with

Serve at room temperature with extra peanut sauce on the side.

Common mistakes

The peanut sauce is either stiff or watery.
Crush the peanuts into a coarse paste, then loosen with warm water a little at a time until it coats a spoon.

Substitutions

  • Use only tofu if tempeh is unavailable, but the dish will lose some of its traditional fermented-soy character.
  • Use green beans instead of yardlong beans for easier availability.
  • Omit the boiled egg for an egg-free version, but update the diet and allergen review.
  • Check sweet soy sauce labels for wheat and soy, especially when serving allergen-sensitive users.

Storing and reheating

Store vegetables, tofu, tempeh, eggs, and peanut sauce separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Once dressed, eat gado-gado the same day and do not freeze.