Indonesian Gado-Gado with Quick Peanut Sauce Tonight
Indonesian gado-gado layers tender potatoes, crisp-tender green beans, and fresh crunchy vegetables under a savory-sweet, tangy peanut sauce, finished with eggs and crackly toppings for an easy weeknight meal or light lunch.
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Colander
- Slotted spoon
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Small skillet (optional, to pan-fry tofu/tempeh)
- Small saucepan (optional, to simmer sauce)
- Knife and cutting board
- Ice bath bowl
Ingredients
Gado-Gado
- 450 g waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold) cut into 2.5 cm / 1 in chunks
- 200 g green beans trimmed and halved
- 150 g green or Napa cabbage shredded (about 2 cups)
- 120 g bean sprouts about 2 cups
- 1 small cucumber halved lengthwise and sliced (about 200 g / 7 oz)
- 1 medium carrot shredded or ribboned (about 100 g / 3.5 oz)
- 3 to 4 large eggs soft- to hard-boiled, as desired
- 225 g firm tofu or tempeh optional; pan-fried
- 1 to 2 cups prawn crackers (kerupuk) or plain rice crackers for serving; substitute roasted peanuts or crispy fried onions if needed
- 2 to 3 tbsp fried shallots for serving; substitute store-bought crispy onions
- lime wedges optional, for serving
- fresh cilantro or Thai basil optional, for serving
Quick Peanut Sauce
- 120 g smooth peanut butter about 1/2 cup
- 120–180 ml warm water to loosen to a pourable consistency
- 30 ml soy sauce about 2 tbsp
- 30 ml fresh lime juice about 2 tbsp
- 12 g brown sugar or finely grated palm sugar about 1 tbsp
- 2 garlic cloves finely grated or minced
- 1–2 tsp sambal oelek or minced red chili to taste
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil optional
Instructions
- Cook the potatoes. Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the potato chunks and simmer until just tender when pierced with a knife, 8–12 minutes depending on size; they should hold their edges.
- Blanch the beans. In the last 2–3 minutes of the potato time, add the green beans to the same pot. Cook until bright green and crisp-tender. Use a slotted spoon to lift potatoes and beans into a colander, rinse quickly under cool water, and drain well.
- Boil the eggs. In the now-empty pot, cover the eggs with cold water and bring to a gentle boil. Lower to a simmer for 7 minutes for jammy centers or 9–10 minutes for fully set. Transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes, then peel and quarter.
- Prep the raw vegetables. While the eggs cook, arrange the cabbage, bean sprouts, cucumber, and carrot on a large platter or individual bowls. Pat them dry with a clean towel so the sauce clings.
- Optional tofu or tempeh. Pat dry and cut into bite-size pieces. Pan-fry in 1–2 tbsp neutral oil over medium-high heat until golden on multiple sides, about 5–7 minutes. Season lightly with salt.
- Make the quick peanut sauce. In a bowl, whisk peanut butter with 1/2 cup warm water until smooth. Add soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, and chili. Whisk until glossy. Adjust with more warm water to the texture of warm heavy cream; taste and balance with more sugar, lime, or soy as needed.
- Optional 2-minute simmer. For a mellower garlic bite and slightly thicker sauce, pour the sauce into a small pan and simmer 1–2 minutes over low heat, stirring. Do not boil hard or it may split.
- Assemble. Pile the potatoes and beans onto the platter with the raw vegetables. Tuck in the egg wedges and any fried tofu/tempeh. Spoon a generous amount of peanut sauce over everything; pass the rest at the table.
- Finish with crunch. Scatter fried shallots and prawn crackers (or roasted peanuts/crispy onions) over the top. Serve with lime wedges and fresh herbs if using.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 20gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 900mgPotassium: 1200mgFiber: 10gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 450IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 180mgIron: 4.5mg
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