Gado Gado Salad Recipe (Indonesia)
This Gado Gado Salad Recipe brings one of Indonesia’s most celebrated street food dishes into your home kitchen—fresh vegetables, silky boiled eggs, crispy tempeh, and a bold, savory peanut dressing that ties it all together. Featured on Global Street Eats with Devan Rajkumar, this dish showcases the perfect harmony of textures and flavors that make Gado Gado so beloved across Southeast Asia.
Crunchy, vibrant, and irresistibly creamy, every bite tells a story of cultural fusion and tropical abundance. The name Gado Gado means “mix-mix,” which captures both the character of the salad and the spirit of Indonesia itself—a celebration of diversity, color, and contrast, all united by flavor.
The Inspiration
From Jakarta’s bustling markets to the beaches of Bali, Gado Gado is a dish found in every corner of Indonesia—a street food icon served from roadside carts and family-run stalls known as warungs. Traditionally, the dish represents balance between hot and cool, fresh and cooked, creamy and crisp.
Devan Rajkumar, host of Global Street Eats, discovered his passion for Gado Gado while exploring local markets packed with the sounds of sizzling oil and the aroma of peanuts roasting in big iron pans. “The dish is alive,” he says. “Every local has their twist—different vegetables, different spice levels—but the idea of connection through food stays the same.”
This version combines familiar Indonesian elements—tempeh, bean sprouts, blanched vegetables, and a creamy peanut sauce—with precise cooking steps so home cooks can reproduce the authentic textures that make Gado Gado Salad irresistible.
Ingredients
Salad:
- 4 cups (960ml) spinach
- 2 cups (480ml) green beans
- 3 cups (720ml) beansprouts
- 2 large or 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3 cups (720ml) shredded Napa cabbage, green parts only
- 1 cucumber, sliced diagonally
- 4 eggs
- 1 block tempeh, sliced ¼-to ½ inch thick
- Neutral oil for frying, such as vegetable or peanut
- Shrimp chips
- Fried shallots
- 1 Thai chili, thinly sliced (optional)
- 4 lime wedges
Peanut Sauce:
- 1/3 cup (80ml) crunchy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp (29.6ml) red curry paste
- 1 tbsp (14.8ml) Kecap Manis
- 2 tsp (9.9ml) sambal oelek
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- Juice of 2 limes
- 2 tsp (9.9ml) fish sauce
- 2 tsp (9.9ml) rice vinegar
- ¼ cup (60ml) coconut milk
- 1/3 cup (80ml) water
- ½ tsp (2.5ml) salt
Methods
For the Salad:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes to the water and cook for 7-10 minutes or until cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes to a colander.
- Carefully add the green beans to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the green beans to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
- Carefully add the beansprouts to the boiling water for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beansprouts to an ice bath.
- Quickly submerge the spinach in the boiling water and immediately transfer to an ice bath using a slotted spoon.
- Carefully add eggs to the boiling water and cook for 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to an ice bath. Once the eggs are cool, peel and slice in half.
- Add a thin layer of oil to a skillet and heat on medium high. Add the tempeh and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until the tempeh turns golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel lined tray.
For the Peanut Sauce:
- Add all ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, adjust the heat to medium low, and cook, stirring regularly, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
To Finish:
- Toss potatoes, spinach, green beans, beansprouts, napa cabbage, and cucumbers with the peanut sauce (the salad will be heavily dressed). Slice eggs on in half and place on top of the salad along with the fried tempeh. Garnish with Thai chili (optional), fried.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the Gado Gado Salad Recipe warm or at room temperature for the best flavor. It’s hearty enough to stand alone as a main dish yet light enough to complement grilled meat, seafood, or skewers like satay.
For gatherings, arrange the components separately—vegetables, sauce, eggs, and toppings—so guests can build their own plates just like in Jakarta’s food stalls. The colorful layering of greens, creams, and golden tones makes the dish as photogenic as it is satisfying.
Pair with iced jasmine tea, coconut water, or a tangy tamarind drink to balance the rich peanut dressing.
Final Thoughts
This Gado Gado Salad Recipe captures exactly what Global Street Eats with Devan Rajkumar is known for—celebrating local tradition through accessible global flavor. It’s more than a salad; it’s a cultural tapestry on a plate, bringing the flavor balance of Indonesian street food straight to your home kitchen.
Each spoonful carries crunch, spice, and soul—a reminder that great cooking transcends borders. Whether you enjoy it as a side dish or a satisfying main course, this Gado Gado Recipe proves that simple ingredients can create extraordinary food when mixed with care.
Fresh, colorful, and unapologetically bold, it’s easy to see why Gado Gado remains one of Indonesia’s most cherished dishes—and one of the highlights of Global Street Eats.