Gado Gado Salad With Peanut Sauce Recipe

By Rachael Lake — Founder of Takeout Kit (Forbes, TechCrunch, BuzzFeed)

This gado gado salad with peanut sauce is a classic Indonesian plate: blanched vegetables, crisp bean sprouts, fresh greens, and fried tofu under a sauce made from roasted peanuts. Fried shallots and prawn crackers go on top for crunch.

What is Gado Gado?

Gado gado means ‘mix-mix’ in Indonesian, and that’s the dish: blanched vegetables and proteins like tofu and tempeh, tossed with a peanut sauce seasoned with soy sauce, palm sugar, and spices. Typical additions are green beans, cabbage, boiled potatoes, and hard-boiled eggs. Fish sauce and Indonesian sweet soy sauce in the peanut sauce give it its salty-sweet backbone.

Where Does Gado Gado Come From?

Gado gado likely originated in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, and it’s a common street food all over the country, sold at food stalls and small restaurants. The peanut sauce (ground peanuts, coconut milk, and a mix of spices and seasonings) is traditionally served on the side, so each person can use as much as they want. Shrimp paste is an essential part of that sauce and adds a salty, savory punch.

What Are the Key Ingredients in Gado Gado?

The key ingredients in Gado Gado include:

Crispy shrimp chips: The standard topping. Salty and crunchy.

Peanut Sauce/Gado Gado Sauce: Roasted peanuts blended in a food processor with soy sauce, palm sugar, and a squeeze of lime juice. This is what pulls the plate together.

Blanched vegetables: Such as bean sprouts, spinach, and chayote. They’re cooked briefly so they keep their crunch and color.

Crispy Fried Tofu: Protein, and it soaks up the peanut sauce.

Tempeh: Fermented soybean cake with a nutty flavor and firm texture (more on it below).

Fried shallots: Crisp and sweet, and a good contrast to the soft vegetables and tofu.

What is tempeh?

Tempeh is an Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans, and a common protein across Southeast Asia. During fermentation a white, mushroom-like fungus grows over the soybeans and binds them into a firm cake. It’s nutty and savory with a chewy texture, and you can slice, dice, or crumble it. For this recipe, you can usually find tempeh at Whole Foods or any natural grocer, near the tofu.

Preparing the vegetables

Blanch the vegetables in boiling water until they’re tender but still crisp. Here’s how to handle the usual ones:

• Green Beans: Steam the green beans until just tender, then move them straight to ice water to stop the cooking and keep them bright green.
• Bean Sprouts: Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water for a brief moment until they are tender but still crisp.
• Cabbage: Blanch the cabbage in boiling water until it is tender but still retains a bit of crunch.
• Carrots: Blanch the carrots in boiling water until they are tender but still crisp.

Protein and crunch

• Boiled Eggs: Slice the boiled eggs and add them on top of the salad for a rich and creamy protein source.
• Fried Tofu: Cut the tofu into cubes and fry until golden and crispy.
• Tempeh: Fry the tempeh cubes until they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, adding a nutty and savory flavor.
• Fried Shallots: Sprinkle crispy fried shallots on top of the salad for an extra layer of crunch and flavor.
• Crispy Shrimp Chips: Scatter them on top for crunch.

Peanut sauce dressing

Here’s what goes in it:

• Roasted Peanuts: Ground into a fine paste, roasted peanuts form the base of the sauce, giving it a rich and nutty flavor.
• Soy Sauce: Adds a savory depth to the sauce.
• Lime Juice: Provides a tangy kick that balances the richness of the peanuts.
• Spices: A blend of spices adds a spicy kick to the sauce.
• Coconut Milk: Adds a creamy texture to the sauce.
• Maple Syrup: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the flavors.

Whisk everything together in a bowl until smooth. For a more traditional sauce, add shrimp paste or Indonesian sweet soy sauce. Drizzle it warm over the salad or serve it on the side for dipping.

Assembling gado gado

Arrange the blanched vegetables (bean sprouts, cabbage, and spinach) on a plate, then top with slices of tofu and tempeh. Drizzle with the gado gado sauce and finish with fried shallots and prawn crackers. Put a few lime wedges on the side.

Variations and substitutions

• Adding boiled eggs or chicken: For extra protein, add boiled eggs or shredded chicken.
• Using different types of vegetables: Green beans or cabbage can stand in for the bean sprouts and spinach. Use what you have.
• Substituting the peanut sauce: Use sweet soy sauce if you want it less nutty, or a spicy sambal if you want it hotter.
• Adding a squeeze of fresh lime juice: The acid cuts the richness of the peanut sauce.
• Using fried tempeh instead of tofu: Nuttier and firmer.

Other Indonesian dishes to try

If there’s an Indonesian restaurant near you, order the gado gado there to compare, and try some of these too:

• Nasi Goreng: Fried rice with a variety of ingredients, including shrimp, chicken, and vegetables.
• Satay: Skewered and grilled meat, usually served with a peanut sauce.
• Rendang: A spicy meat dish, typically made with beef, cooked in coconut milk and a variety of spices.
• Soto: A soup made with chicken or beef, served with rice and a variety of vegetables.
• Bakso: Meatball soup made with beef, chicken, or fish.
• Mie Goreng: Fried noodles with a variety of ingredients, including shrimp, chicken, and vegetables.
• Nasi Campur: A mixed rice dish with a variety of ingredients, including meat, seafood, and vegetables.
• Karedok: A salad made with raw vegetables, served with a peanut sauce dressing.

More recipes

For more, see my Asian Recipes, or browse all my recipes here. If you need Indonesian ingredients, try Indonesian Supermarket.