

Gado Gado is the signature salad of Indonesia. There is no better way to expand your culinary taste buds than exploring cuisines from around the world and this Indonesian salad is a feast for the senses. A combination of fresh and cooked vegetables served with a delicious Peanut Sauce Dressing.
The original recipe came from one of my favourite food magazines back in the day; Bon Appetit, Food&Wine or Gourmet. I don’t remember which one. The recipe made its’ way into my collection of ethnic specialties but it isn’t an everyday salad. You can simplify it by using less ingredients but making the complete salad is definitely worth the effort. And if you are lucky there will be enough leftovers to make a nice lunch.
Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients in my Gado Gado. Many of the ingredients may already be in your fridge. Cooking the eggs and potatoes a day or two in advance also decreases the number of steps when you actually prepare this salad.
This is a North American adaptation and that usually means the ingredients are readily available. So let me clarify readily available. Of course the vegetable are all naturally gluten free and available. The only ingredient with gluten would be kecap manis in the dressing.
Kecap manis is a sweet Indonesian soy sauce commonly made with wheat. Although someone on Instagram shared a picture of a gluten free version of kecap manis made from sorghum, I’ve not been able to find a gluten free version.
Many years ago I learned to make kecap manis because it was a specialty ingredient that wasn’t readily available. Check out my post for Kecap Manis if you need to make it. For me it’s an Asian pantry staple you just need to make and it isn’t difficult.
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Gado Gado literally means mix mix. As with any salad the ingredients are just a guide so mix it up any way you like. Vary the ingredients, cooked or raw, cut the vegetables in the size you prefer and use any amounts.
This salad can be served layered salad or tossed, right at your table in Indonesia. For entertaining I love this presentation of a composed salad. The colourful ingredients can be beautifully presented on a large tray showcasing each of the individual components. This makes it ideal for the centerpiece of an Indonesian feast but consider taking it to a Pot Luck as well. It is still a salad!
Click on the text to go to the recipe.
From time to time I write a guest post for my friend Sue over at Travel Tales of Life. This is one I wrote about our trip to Bali – Indonesian Chicken Satay Recipe – Bali.
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This looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks Annette, I can’t wait to hear or see what your Gado Gado looked like. I absolutely love it but haven’t made it for a long time. I’ll be sure to make it again soon, I’m happy to have many ways to enjoy peanut sauce.