Gado-Gado Salad with Chunky Peanut-Lime Sauce

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Warm–cold contrast: crisp-tender greens and cool cucumber meet warm potatoes, tofu, and a silky, aromatic peanut–lime sauce.
• Weeknight-friendly with make-ahead components; sauce keeps beautifully for quick meals.
• Flexible protein: choose tofu, tempeh, or eggs (optional) to suit your table.
• Deep, authentic Indonesian flavors using accessible pantry ingredients.

Grocery List

• Produce: Potatoes, green beans, cabbage (or Napa), spinach, bean sprouts, cucumber, limes, shallot, garlic, red chiles (or sambal), cilantro, lime wedges (extra for serving)
• Dairy: Eggs (optional)
• Pantry: Peanut butter, roasted peanuts, coconut milk, soy sauce, kecap manis, tamarind paste, palm or brown sugar, cornstarch, neutral oil, salt, fried shallots (optional), jasmine rice

Full Ingredients

Peanut–Lime Sauce

• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 medium shallot, finely minced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1–2 red chiles, finely chopped (or 1–2 tsp sambal oelek, to taste)
• 1/2 cup (130 g) natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) coconut milk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) water, plus more as needed
• 2 tbsp palm sugar or packed light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 1/3 cup (45 g) roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp fine salt, or to taste

Vegetables & Toppings

• 1 lb (450 g) waxy potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 8 oz (225 g) green beans, trimmed
• 10 oz (300 g) green or Napa cabbage, thickly sliced
• 4 oz (115 g) spinach
• 1 cup (70 g) bean sprouts
• 1 small English cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
• Fried shallots, for topping (optional but traditional)
• Lime wedges and cilantro leaves, for serving

Protein

• 14 oz (400 g) firm tofu, drained and pressed 10 minutes, then cut into 1-inch cubes
• OR 8 oz (225 g) tempeh, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric (optional, for color and aroma)
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2–3 tbsp neutral oil for pan-frying
• Optional: 4 large eggs, hard-boiled

Rice or Lontong

• 3 cups cooked jasmine rice (hot, for serving)
• Optional Quick Lontong-style Rice Cakes: 3 cups cooked short- or medium-grain rice, packed into a parchment-lined loaf pan and chilled 30–60 minutes, then cut into 1-inch cubes

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Set up and prep the produce and tofu

Bring 4 quarts (3.8 L) of water to a boil in a large pot and stir in 1 tablespoon salt. Meanwhile, press the tofu between paper towels or a clean kitchen towel with a light weight for 10 minutes to remove excess moisture. Cut tofu (or tempeh) into bite-size pieces. Wash and cut all vegetables as listed: chunk the potatoes, trim green beans, slice cabbage, rinse spinach and sprouts, and slice the cucumber. Gather sauce ingredients.

Step 2: Cook potatoes and (optional) eggs

Slide the potatoes into the boiling water and simmer until just tender when pierced, 10–12 minutes. If using eggs, gently lower them into the pot for the last 9–10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs to an ice bath; peel when cool and halve. Drain the potatoes and set aside.

Step 3: Blanch greens and crunchy vegetables

Return the pot of water to a boil. Blanch green beans for 2–3 minutes until crisp-tender; transfer to an ice bath. Blanch cabbage for 60–90 seconds, then spinach and bean sprouts for 30 seconds each, shocking each batch in ice water to stop cooking. Drain everything very well and pat dry so the sauce clings nicely.

Step 4: Crisp the tofu or tempeh

In a bowl, toss tofu (or tempeh) with 2 teaspoons soy sauce and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric. Sprinkle on 2 tablespoons cornstarch and toss to coat. Heat 2–3 tablespoons neutral oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu in a single layer and cook until golden and crisp on 2–3 sides, 8–10 minutes total (tempeh takes 6–8 minutes). Transfer to a plate and lightly season with salt while hot. Oven option: bake tofu on a parchment-lined sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 20–25 minutes, flipping once; add 5 minutes if you prefer deeper color.

Step 5: Make the chunky peanut–lime sauce

In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Sauté shallot, garlic, and chile for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in peanut butter, coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, palm/brown sugar, tamarind paste, soy sauce, and kecap manis. Simmer, stirring, until smooth and glossy, 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice and chopped peanuts. Adjust thickness with hot water, 1–3 tablespoons, to create a pourable but clingy sauce. Taste and balance: add a pinch of salt, more lime for brightness, or a little sugar for roundness.

Step 6: Prepare rice or quick lontong

If serving with rice, keep 3 cups cooked jasmine rice hot. For quick lontong-style cakes, pack 3 cups warm cooked short- or medium-grain rice tightly into a parchment-lined small loaf pan. Press firmly with a spatula to compact. Chill until set, 30–60 minutes, then lift out and cut into 1-inch cubes.

Step 7: Assemble and serve

Arrange warm potatoes, blanched green beans, cabbage, spinach, bean sprouts, cucumber, and crispy tofu/tempeh in shallow bowls or on a large platter. Add rice or lontong cubes. Spoon warm peanut–lime sauce generously over the top so it drapes the vegetables. Garnish with fried shallots, cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve immediately with extra sauce on the side.

Pro Tips

• Blanch in order of cook time (beans, cabbage, spinach/sprouts) and shock in ice water to lock in color and crispness.
• Sauce thickens as it cools; thin with hot water until it flows slowly off a spoon.
• For the best tofu crust, pat it very dry and dust with cornstarch just before it hits the pan.
• No kecap manis? Mix 2 teaspoons soy sauce with 2 teaspoons brown sugar to mimic the flavor.
• Control heat with chiles or sambal: remove seeds for mild, add more for fiery.

Variations

• Vegan: Omit eggs and use tempeh or tofu. Ensure soy sauce and kecap manis are vegan.
• Extra protein: Add poached chicken slices or grilled shrimp and serve satay-style with the peanut sauce.
• Low-gluten/gluten-free: Use tamari and a gluten-free sweet soy alternative (or tamari plus extra brown sugar).

Storage & Make-Ahead

Peanut–lime sauce keeps 5–7 days refrigerated or up to 2 months frozen; rewarm gently and thin with hot water. Blanched vegetables can be refrigerated up to 2 days; pat dry before serving. Cooked tofu/tempeh stays crisp best the day of but reheats well in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 8–10 minutes. Rice cakes (lontong-style) hold 3–4 days chilled; bring to room temp before serving. Store sauce separately from vegetables to maintain textures.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate (with tofu, rice, and no egg): 800 kcal; 85 g carbohydrates; 30 g protein; 42 g fat; 11 g fiber; 980 mg sodium. Values will vary with portion sizes, brand choices, and optional eggs.