Gado-Gado Salad (Indonesian Peanut Sauce Veggie Plate)

Quick answer

Total time: 32 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Gado-gado salad is an Indonesian composed dish that brings together blanched cabbage, bean sprouts, boiled potato wedges, pan-seared firm tofu, and halved soft-boiled eggs on a single plate, then finishes them with a thick, glossy peanut sauce.

The sauce combines peanut butter, lime juice, and soy sauce into a base that layers nuttiness over a sharp, salty-sour foundation, lifting the mild flavors of every vegetable and the tofu in a single pour. Each vegetable is blanched separately and pulled from the water at a different moment: cabbage stays crisp, while bean sprouts are allowed to soften just slightly, so the finished plate holds distinct textures rather than a uniform mush. The tofu must be pressed or patted completely dry before it goes into the pan; residual moisture prevents proper browning and causes the cubes to crumble when tossed with the sauce. If the peanut sauce thickens as it sits, a tablespoon of warm water at a time is all it takes to bring it back to a pourable, coating consistency that drapes over the vegetables rather than clumping on top.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

cabbage120 gg

bean sprouts100 gg

potato180 gg

firm tofu160 gg

boiled egg2 eaea

peanut butter2½ tbsptbsp

lime juice1 tbsptbsp

soy sauce1 tbsptbsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Control

Wash 180 g potatoes with the skin on, then cut them into 2 cm cubes.

Simmer in lightly salted water over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until a toothpick slides in easily, then drain and let the steam escape.
2

Heat

Cut 120 g cabbage into 3 cm pieces.

Blanch in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the edges look slightly translucent, then rinse in cold water so the cabbage stays crisp instead of turning limp.
3

Heat

Blanch 100 g bean sprouts separately in boiling water, only until they soften slightly but still have bite.

Cool them in cold water, then leave both sprouts and cabbage in a sieve until fully drained.
4

Control

Press 160 g firm tofu with paper towels to remove surface moisture, then cut it into 2 cm cubes.

Heat a lightly oiled pan and sear over medium-high heat until each side is golden, so the cubes hold together with the sauce.
5

Season

In a bowl, stir together 2.5 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp lime juice, and 1 tbsp soy sauce until smooth.

If the sauce is stiff, add warm water little by little, up to 1 to 2 tbsp, until it pours slowly from a spoon.
6

Finish

Arrange the cabbage, bean sprouts, potatoes, and tofu in separate sections on a wide plate.

Halve 2 boiled eggs and place them on top, then drizzle the peanut sauce just before serving so the vegetables stay distinct.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Gado-Gado Salad combines blanched cabbage and tofu with a thick, glossy Indonesian peanut sauce.
Finish cue: Heat a lightly oiled pan and sear over medium-high heat until each side is golden, so the cubes hold together with the sauce.