Asian Recipes/ Dinner/ Recipes/ Salad/ Side Dish

Indonesian Gado Gado Salad with Peanut Sauce

18/11/2020 (Last Updated: 28/01/2021)

One of the BEST salads you’ll ever eat with peanut satay flavours smothered over fresh vegetables. Indonesian Gado Gado with Peanut Sauce is a deliciously cooling recipe for a hot Summer’s day.

Gado gado salad topped with spicy peanut sauce and chopped chilli.

Why We Love This

This is our go-to recipe for a healthy yet savoury and filling meal that is super easy too!

It’s such a versatile salad recipe. You can literally use any combination of your favourite salad or veggie ingredients, both raw or cooked.

There’s a little bit of prep time involved, but it’s 100% worth it because the end result is a big bowl of gado gado salad. It’s not just super satisfying, but leaves you feeling so healthy too!

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You can feel extra good knowing you’re literally eating a big pile of veggies – but instead of being bland or boring, they taste amazing due to the must-have spicy peanut sauce.

What is Gado Gado? 

Gado Gado literally means ‘mix mix’ in Indonesian. You’ll often find it dished up by street vendors from their hand-drawn carts, where they’ll freshly blanch the ingredients before your eyes and cover them in a generous slather of spicy gado gado sauce (very similar to a peanut satay sauce).

Typical ingredients in traditional gado gado include boiled potatoes, boiled eggs, bean sprouts and green beans alongside super satisfying, protein-packed tofu and tempeh (more about this tasty vegan ingredient below). But the best part about homemade ‘mix mix’ salad is that you can use any mix of raw or blanched veggies to use up what you have on hand.

This recipe is like the summer salad version of our Japanese Shabu Shabu (meaning swish swish) – which is a winter warming hotpot with fresh vegetables, tofu and meat.

Where We Learned This

Our wandering, eating adventures turned up seemingly endless varieties of this popular salad dish while travelling across Bali.

One version consisted of mainly fried tofu and bean shoots doused in that mouth-watering homemade peanut sauce, dished up by our new friend Usman from his hawker-style street cart.

Then there was a completely different version at a local warung (food stall), which was packed with potatoes, beans, lettuce and crispy krupuk crackers (similar to prawn crackers). The flavours in this bowl were so good we literally begged kindly asked the owner for her recipe. (Fun fact: Laura speaks Bahasa Indonesia, from back in her Uni days)

Leading us into her kitchen, she pointed out each of her ingredients and showed us how to blend peanuts, spices and seasonings for the peanut sauce using a traditional Indonesian mortar and pestle. She was so excited to share her recipe, she couldn’t stop smiling and laughing the entire time! It was one of the best conversations and experiences we had in Bali.

If you do ever want to check out her little warung, it’s opposite Kayun Hostel on JL Patih Jelantik, Bali, Indonesia. Say hello from us!

Top view of Indonesian gado gado salad with eggs and vegetables.

What You’ll Need

Inspired by all the incredible versions of Gado Gado out there, we decided to create our own ‘mix mix’ of ingredients and pile up the veggies for a deliciously healthy salad. Recreating the dish in our kitchen at home, the hardest part was to stop taste testing the sauce until it was juuuuust right!

  • Fried Tofu – We’ll sometimes buy tofu that is already fried, as it’s firmer than regular tofu and will hold its shape much better. If you can’t source it pre-fried, look for firm tofu rather than silken or soft tofu.
  • Tempeh – This is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soy. It’s full of protein with the deliciously chewy texture of a meat patty – without the meat! So it’s perfect for vegetarians and vegans. Head to the fridge section of your nearest Asian grocery, and pick yourself up a pack. Slice, fry and add to your Gado Gado for a satisfyingly spicy treat. And if you can’t find it – no worries, just leave it out and/or double the amount of tofu to compensate.
  • Veggies – We’ll typically use blanched green beans and bean sprouts along with sliced or grated carrot, fresh spinach, crispy lettuce or cabbage leaves, cucumber and tomatoes.
  • Fillers – Boiled potatoes are absolutely stunning paired with the spicy sauce, as are boiled eggs.
  • Sauce – When using a blender or food processor, the sauce ingredients are easier and quicker to prepare than you might think.

For the peanut sauce you’ll need:

  • Roasted peanuts
  • Palm sugar
  • Garlic and ginger – we usually use minced, but you can finely chop/grate these or just pop in the food processor.
  • Chillies – we use the small Thai red chillies but they do pack a punch. You might like to start with 1/2 a chilli and work your way up from there once you know your heat tolerance.
  • Fish sauce
  • Kecap Manis – A thick, sweet and sticky soy sauce that really brings the salty, golden caramel flavour to the sauce.
  • Lime juice – Fresh or bottled is fine. You can substitute for lemon or leave it out if needed.
  • Kaffir Lime Leaves – These pack a big flavour punch. Depending on where you live, you might source them fresh from your local market or import store, or they may be dried or bottled in the Asian section of your local supermarket. You can also find dried kaffir lime leaves online. If you have no luck, just omit or add a teaspoon of lime zest instead.

P.S. While you’re at the Asian grocery picking up supplies, feel free to pick up a bag of krupuk or emping (Indonesian chips similar to prawn crackers) for extra crunch. Not essential, but they do add a delicious texture to the final dish!

Plate of fresh and blanched vegetables with peanut sauce in background.

Wandercook’s Tips

  • Peanut Sauce – No need to make the peanuts super smooth, a little texture is perfectly fine!
  • Make it in Bulk – Feed a crowd with a huge gado gado platter. Or, pre-chop all the ingredients. That way you can assemble a fresh salad each day through the week for a quick and easy lunch.
  • Dunk In Ice Water – After blanching the green beans and bean shoots, you can dunk them in ice water to stop them cooking and help them stay crunchy. We don’t usually worry about this, but the option is there if you feel like it!

FAQs

Is gado gado served hot or cold?

This Indonesian salad is traditionally served hot and freshly cooked. However, we usually eat it at room temperature and enjoy it just as much.

How long does this salad last?

This salad will easily last a day or two in the fridge, but for the freshest results, cook each portion of veggies you need on the day. The peanut satay sauce on the other hand, will last much longer. Store in the fridge for up to a week, or make a big batch and freeze in portions that you can reheat on the stove.

Can I serve gado gado as a main meal?

Absolutely! With boiled eggs and tempeh for protein, plus boiled potatoes for a little extra bulk, this veggie packed salad is super satisfying as a main meal. To make it more filling for extra hungry eaters, you could serve it with freshly cooked rice (white or brown would both be amazing). Or top with slices of leftover bbq chicken, grilled chicken or fried haloumi for extra decadence.

Is gado gado salad vegan?

It’s easy to make a vegan gado gado salad, just swap out the fish sauce and shrimp powder for 2 teaspoons of soy sauce for the peanut sauce. Then select vegan friendly vegetable and tofu options to cover with the peanut sauce.

Variations & Substitutes

  • Mix Mix – You can use any mix of veggies and proteins in this salad so feel free to go nuts! It’s a great way to use up leftover veggies like cucumber, tomatoes and green beans.
  • Stir Fry Instead of Blanch – Instead of blanching, why not stir fry the veggies. Try it with green beans, broccolini, carrots, bean shoots etc for a more caramelised flavour.
  • Prawn Crackers – Known as ‘krupuk’ in Indonesian.
  • Double the Fillers – Such as tofu, tempeh, potatoes or eggs to feed extra hungry eaters.
  • Save Time – Use pre-chopped coleslaw mix as the salad base.
  • Optional Garnishes – Top with more crunchy roasted peanuts, fried garlic and/or fried shallots, fresh coriander/cilantro leaves or chilli powder. (We LOVE our Japanese 7 Spice blend).
  • Non-Traditional Sauces – Try it with Kewpie mayo or bibimbap sauce instead.
  • Make it a Feast – Serve as a side dish alongside Indonesian corn fritters, chicken skewers, nasi gila or sambal telur. Yum!
  • Peanut Butter – If you don’t have peanuts or a food processer, substitute with crunchy or smooth peanut butter.
  • Vietnamese Peanut Hoisin Sauce – For a different flavour profile, you can make our peanut hoisin sauce to use instead.
Fresh plate of Indonesian gado gado salad topped with peanut satay sauce.

More of our favourite refreshing Asian salads:

★ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and star rating below!

Plate of Indonesian gado gado salad.

Indonesian Gado Gado Salad with Peanut Sauce

Take your taste buds on a Southeast Asian adventure with this crispy, crunchy, and oh-so-satisfying, Indonesian Gado Gado Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce. It’s a deliciously cooling salad for a hot summer’s day, packed with healthy nutrients, protein and incredible spicy peanut flavour.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indonesian
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 555kcal
Author: Wandercooks
Cost: $15

Ingredients

For the sauce:

For the salad:

Instructions

  • Place the peanuts into a mortar or food processor. Onced crushed to as smooth or crunchy as you like, add the palm sugar, garlic, ginger, kaffir lime and chilli and grind for a minute or two until well combined.
    100 g roasted peanuts, 25 g palm sugar, 2 tsp garlic, 2 Thai makrut / kaffir lime leaves, 1 tsp ginger, ½ small red chilli
  • If using a mortar and pestle, transfer to a mixing bowl, otherwise place the following wet ingredients straight into your processer. Add fish sauce, shrimp powder, kecap manis, lime juice and coconut milk. Mix well and add more coconut milk if needed until the sauce has a smooth consistency.
    2 tsp kecap manis / sweet soy sauce, 1 tsp fish sauce, 1/2 tsp shrimp powder, 1 tsp lime juice, 200 ml coconut milk
  • Put peanut sauce into a small saucepan over a low heat and cook for a few minutes until warmed up then remove.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a small frying pan over high heat. Add tempeh and cook for a few minutes until browned. Add fried tofu and continue to cook until heated through (around a minute or two).
    50 g tempeh, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 50 g fried tofu
  • Arrange salad ingredients (lettuce, eggs, potatoes, carrot, green beans, bean sprouts, tempeh and fried tofu) onto serving plates and liberally coat with peanut sauce. Serve immediately.
    2 large lettuce leaves, 2 eggs, 2 potatoes, 1 carrot, 1 handful green beans, 1 handful bean sprouts

Recipe Notes

  • Fried Tofu – We’ll sometimes buy tofu that is already fried, as it’s firmer than regular tofu and will hold its shape much better. If you can’t source it pre-fried, look for firm tofu rather than silken or soft tofu.
  • Tempeh – This is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soy. It’s full of protein with the deliciously chewy texture of a meat patty – without the meat! So it’s perfect for vegetarians and vegans. Head to the fridge section of your nearest Asian grocery, and pick yourself up a pack. Slice, fry and add to your Gado Gado for a satisfyingly spicy treat. And if you can’t find it – no worries, just leave it out and/or double the amount of tofu to compensate.
  • Veggies – We’ll typically use blanched green beans and bean sprouts along with sliced or grated carrot, fresh spinach, crispy lettuce or cabbage leaves, cucumber and tomatoes.
  • Fillers – Boiled potatoes are absolutely stunning paired with the spicy sauce, as are boiled eggs.
  • Sauce – When using a blender or food processor, the sauce ingredients are easier and quicker to prepare than you might think.
  • Peanut Sauce – No need to make the peanuts super smooth, a little texture is perfectly fine!
  • Make it in Bulk – Feed a crowd with a huge gado gado platter. Or, pre-chop all the ingredients. That way you can assemble a fresh salad each day through the week for a quick and easy lunch.
  • Dunk In Ice Water – After blanching the green beans and bean shoots, you can dunk them in ice water to stop them cooking and help them stay crunchy. We don’t usually worry about this, but the option is there if you feel like it!
  • Mix Mix – You can use any mix of veggies and proteins in this salad so feel free to go nuts! It’s a great way to use up leftover veggies like cucumber, tomatoes and green beans.
  • Stir Fry Instead of Blanch – Instead of blanching, why not stir fry the veggies. Try it with green beans, broccolini, carrots, bean shoots etc for a more caramelised flavour.
  • Prawn Crackers – Known as ‘krupuk’ in Indonesian.
  • Double the Fillers – Such as tofu, tempeh, potatoes or eggs to feed extra hungry eaters.
  • Save Time – Use pre-chopped coleslaw mix as the salad base.
  • Optional Garnishes – Top with more crunchy roasted peanuts, fried garlic and/or fried shallots, fresh coriander/cilantro leaves or chilli powder. (We LOVE our Japanese 7 Spice blend)
  • Make it an Indonesian Feast – Serve as a side dish with Indonesian corn fritters, chargrilled pork skewers or sambal telur. Yum!
  • Peanut Butter – If you don’t have peanuts or a food processer, substitute with crunchy or smooth peanut butter.
  • Vietnamese Peanut Hoisin Sauce – For a different flavour profile, you can make our peanut hoisin sauce to use instead.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Indonesian Gado Gado Salad with Peanut Sauce
Amount per Serving
Calories
555
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
46
g
71
%
Saturated Fat
 
23
g
144
%
Cholesterol
 
14
mg
5
%
Sodium
 
589
mg
26
%
Potassium
 
644
mg
18
%
Carbohydrates
 
28
g
9
%
Fiber
 
5
g
21
%
Sugar
 
11
g
12
%
Protein
 
18
g
36
%
Vitamin A
 
107
IU
2
%
Vitamin C
 
19
mg
23
%
Calcium
 
73
mg
7
%
Iron
 
5
mg
28
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Hey hey – Did you make this recipe?We’d love it if you could give a star rating below ★★★★★ and show us your creations on Instagram! Snap a pic and tag @wandercooks / #Wandercooks

Indonesian Gado Gado Salad with Peanut Sauce
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14 Comments

  • Reply
    Shelly
    25/09/2023 at 5:34 pm

    Hello there Girls.
    I am so inspired by all your lovely recipes, Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean. However, for someone living in the bush and far removed from any Asian stores or stores that supply the ingredients, are there substitute for all the ingredients that are not common to our households in Africa? Anxiously awaiting a reply….

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      25/09/2023 at 6:47 pm

      Hey Shelly, in some cases yes. Essentially, most ingredients can be substituted but it may be at the cost of changing the flavour of the dish. While sometimes it won’t taste exactly the same, it’s still good to be able to make the dishes you know and love. Where possible, we provide substitute options for each ingredient that we think would work well and provide a lot of homemade sauces and condiments with easier-to-get ingredients so you can make them yourself.

      If there are any particular ingredients you’re struggling to track down or substitute, feel free to send us an email and we’ll help as best be can. 🙂

  • Reply
    Josh
    08/01/2022 at 7:57 pm

    Hi, wandercooks.
    I find the recipe quite interesting and I’ve tried them for several time already. They come out amazing.

    Actually gado-gado comes in many variant, they differs from one island to another, each city and tribes in Indonesia had their own version of gado-gado. And a kindly remark, gado-gado is originally a cold salad dish, albeit mostly served with warm rice nowadays.

    Btw, you can substitute the lime juice with diluted tamarind paste, and if you’re already using a belacan powder, fish sauce is no longer necessary. (Fyi, in Javanese cuisine, most belacan cubes were toasted and then grinded into powder, for extra smoky and nutty aroma)
    And for vegan option, you can substitute with some other vegan friendly ingredient that gives the same ‘funk’ taste to the dish. Let say, a soy sauce, or even korean fermented bean paste perhaps?

    Same with kecap manis, most street vendor used them to added darker colour and sweetness for their gado-gado sauce, thus, cut the need for some extra peanut and palm sugar. So if you use a good quality palm sugar already, the kecap manis isn’t much necessary.

    Kefir lime leaves, some uses them, some didn’t, but the leaves most predominantly used in ‘pecel’ sauce, they all came from the same list of ingredients of sauces; gado-gado, pecel, and karedok, only with an extra additions of kencur for the ‘pecel’ kind.

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      01/02/2022 at 10:16 am

      Hey Josh, thanks for the tips. Glad you liked the recipe. This one came from a lady who ran a warung in Legian, so we kept the recipe true to her style. We love how many different ways there are to make a recipe, so thanks again for your ideas.

    • Reply
      Cynthia Brown
      21/08/2022 at 10:19 am

      Thanks for your notes. Sound like good substitutions for vegans. And good subs if you just want to change the original recipe. (And we all know that there are recipe variations from family to family sometimes, let alone the various islands etc.)

      Really, the correct name of the lime is makrut.

      • Reply
        Wandercooks
        22/08/2022 at 2:17 pm

        You’re welcome Cynthia, thanks for the tip with the limes too. We already have them named makrut / kaffir in the ingredients section. They are still sold as Kaffir in many places (ie Australia), so we currently need to keep both names so people new to the cuisine understand what they’re buying. 🙂

  • Reply
    Ilona @ Ilona's Passion
    25/03/2016 at 2:03 pm

    Yummy salad… and these sauce is incredible. I need to make it:)

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      29/03/2016 at 9:06 am

      It’s so nice to have such incredible flavours and all from real, natural ingredients. No need to run to the store for a pre-made mix now!

  • Reply
    Boastful Food
    25/03/2016 at 1:33 pm

    Sounds delish, gals!

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      29/03/2016 at 9:04 am

      Tastes even better 😉 Hahah

  • Reply
    Sherri @ Watch Learn Eat
    25/03/2016 at 12:27 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! This salad looks incredible! And I enjoyed reading the story behind its creation! Awesome recipe! 🙂

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      29/03/2016 at 9:02 am

      Thanks Sherri! 🙂

  • Reply
    Bella B (xoxoBella)
    25/03/2016 at 10:58 am

    What a great post! Your photos are fabulous. I am always looking for new salad ideas to try. 🙂

  • Reply
    Camilla @FabFood4All
    25/03/2016 at 10:35 am

    5 stars
    Love this tasty recipe and all the glorious flavours, seriously tempted to try this:-)

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