1:19in productionCh. 1 · What the dish is and where it came from/ 1:19 · ceiling 15 min
Dishes · Technique
Gado-gado
An Indonesian vegetable salad with boiled, blanched, or raw components, fried tofu and tempeh, hard-boiled eggs, potato, lontong, and peanut sauce.
Gado-gado is an Indonesian salad originating in West Java, including Jakarta, Banten, and West Java provinces. It features raw, blanched, steamed, or boiled vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, boiled potato, fried tofu and tempeh, and sliced lontong rice cake.
Gado-gado is an Indonesian salad originating in West Java, including Jakarta, Banten, and West Java provinces.
0:15
How it works, in terms someone would actually use
Vegetables, potatoes, and bean sprouts are blanched or lightly boiled; tempeh and tofu are fried; cucumber is served fresh; eggs are hard-boiled; lontong is sliced.
0:35
What it gets right
It balances textures—crisp cucumber, soft potato, chewy tempeh—and contrasts savory, sweet, sour, and spicy notes from peanut sauce with garlic, chilies, palm sugar, tamarind, and lime.
0:45
What it does not
Unlike Sundanese karedok or lotek atah, gado-gado includes cooked vegetables, so it does not offer a fully raw-vegetable experience.
0:53
What it changed
In 2018, it was officially promoted as one of Indonesia’s five national dishes, alongside soto, sate, nasi goreng, and rendang.
1:01
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for people seeking a substantial, mixed-texture vegetable-based dish with protein from eggs, tofu, and tempeh.
1:13
Is it worth your time
Yes—it is a nationally recognized, widely served Indonesian dish with varied preparation and broad ingredient appeal.
Worth your time?
Selectively. Start with the brief, then cook the parts we point at.
What works
It balances textures—crisp cucumber, soft potato, chewy tempeh—and contrasts savory, sweet, sour, and spicy notes from peanut sauce with garlic, chilies, palm sugar, tamarind, and lime.
What does not
Unlike Sundanese karedok or lotek atah, gado-gado includes cooked vegetables, so it does not offer a fully raw-vegetable experience.
Cook it if
Skip it if
The written brief1 min read
What the dish is and where it came from
Gado-gado is an Indonesian salad originating in West Java, including Jakarta, Banten, and West Java provinces. It features raw, blanched, steamed, or boiled vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, boiled potato, fried tofu and tempeh, and sliced lontong rice cake.
How it works, in terms someone would actually use
Vegetables, potatoes, and bean sprouts are blanched or lightly boiled; tempeh and tofu are fried; cucumber is served fresh; eggs are hard-boiled; lontong is sliced. The peanut sauce is made by grinding dry ingredients first, then adding tamarind liquid to reach desired consistency, traditionally using a cobek and ulekan.
What it gets right
It balances textures—crisp cucumber, soft potato, chewy tempeh—and contrasts savory, sweet, sour, and spicy notes from peanut sauce with garlic, chilies, palm sugar, tamarind, and lime.
What it does not
Unlike Sundanese karedok or lotek atah, gado-gado includes cooked vegetables, so it does not offer a fully raw-vegetable experience.
What it changed
In 2018, it was officially promoted as one of Indonesia’s five national dishes, alongside soto, sate, nasi goreng, and rendang.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for people seeking a substantial, mixed-texture vegetable-based dish with protein from eggs, tofu, and tempeh. It is not for those seeking only raw vegetables, as some components are cooked.
Is it worth your time
Yes—it is a nationally recognized, widely served Indonesian dish with varied preparation and broad ingredient appeal.