Gado-Gado Indonesian Salad

Gado-gado brings vibrant vegetables and crispy tofu together under a silky, spiced peanut sauce that transforms simple ingredients into something truly memorable. Boiled eggs and potatoes add heartiness to the fresh greens and sprouts, while the warm sauce ties everything into one satisfying bite. Perfect as a starter or light lunch when you want something nourishing, colorful, and authentically Indonesian.

Ingredients

4 large eggs

200g firm tofu, cut into cubes

2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

2 cups cabbage, chopped

2 cups bean sprouts

2 medium carrots, julienned

1 cucumber, sliced

4 small potatoes, boiled and sliced

2 cups lettuce leaves

1 cup roasted peanuts

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 red chilies, deseeded and chopped

2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar

2 tbsp tamarind paste

1 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup warm water

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 krupuk (Indonesian crackers), for garnish

Instructions

Hard-boil the eggs for 10 minutes, then cool in ice water and peel. Cut in half and set aside.

Heat oil in a pan and fry tofu cubes until golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels.

Blanch green beans in boiling salted water for 3 minutes until tender-crisp. Remove and plunge into ice water.

Blanch cabbage for 2 minutes, then bean sprouts for 1 minute. Drain and cool all vegetables.

For the peanut sauce, grind roasted peanuts in a food processor until fine. Add garlic, chilies, palm sugar, and salt. Process until smooth.

Transfer peanut mixture to a bowl and gradually whisk in tamarind paste, sweet soy sauce, and warm water until desired consistency is reached.

Arrange lettuce leaves on serving plates as a base.

Artfully arrange blanched vegetables, sliced potatoes, cucumber, fried tofu, and egg halves on top of lettuce.

Drizzle generously with peanut sauce just before serving.

Garnish with crushed krupuk and serve immediately with extra peanut sauce on the side.