Gado-Gado
Firm tofu, cabbage and long beans come together in this Indonesian side — 65 minutes, 6 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 6 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for oven and frying pan / skillet. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (11)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Egg Peanut Soy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Boil the eggs for about 9 minutes until hard-cooked, then cool, peel and halve them, and separately boil the potatoes whole until tender before peeling and slicing.
- Blanch the cabbage, long beans and bean sprouts separately in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes each so they stay crisp, then refresh in cold water and drain well.
- Pan-fry the cubed tofu in a little oil over medium-high heat until golden on all sides, then drain on paper towel.
- Make the peanut sauce by grinding or blending the roasted peanuts with the garlic, chillies, palm sugar, tamarind, kecap manis and enough warm water to reach a thick but pourable consistency, adjusting salt and lime to balance the sweet, sour and savoury notes.
- Arrange the blanched vegetables, sliced cucumber, sliced potato, fried tofu and halved eggs in neat sections on a large platter or across four plates.
- Spoon the peanut sauce generously over the top or serve it alongside, then scatter with fried shallots and serve with prawn crackers.
You'll use: Oven · Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Large pot · Saucepan
Ingredient substitutions
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
- Shallots
- ½ small onion + a little garlic
What to serve with Gado-Gado
- Ayam Penyet Chicken
- Bakso Beef
- Bubur Ayam Breakfast
- Dadar Gulung Dessert
Tips & common questions
How long does Gado-Gado take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 14 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of eggs?
Try ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Gado-Gado vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Original recipe — developed in-house by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Gado-Gado is an original Indonesian recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Gado Gado PTG Gourmet IITMandi Nov17 D72 3256.jpg by Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.