Vegan Gado Gado Bowl

this Recipe

I’m bringing you a gado gado bowl today! What is a gado gado bowl you ask? Great question.

I had no idea either until I was at my grandmother’s house this Fall and she made us a salad that she found in one of her food magazines. It was a composed salad of cabbage, steamed green beans, carrots, boiled potatoes, hard boiled eggs and the most delicious peanut sauce.

I loved how the salad was presented and I especially loved the contrast of cooked and raw vegetables and a dreamy peanut sauce. Here’s my version!

After spending time on google, I realized that that a gado gado salad is up for interpretation. It’s an Indonesian dish that has varying cooked vegetables, raw vegetables, protein and a creamy peanut sauce.

To make mine lunch-time friendly, I’m relying on a few time saving hacks: using microwavable steamed green beans, pre shredded cabbage, a quick peanut sauce and The Little Potato Company‘s new microwavable potatoes!

Have you seen these at your grocery store yet? I’ve just seen the new packaging at my local grocery store, though we’ve been loving the microwave variety ever since we were introduced to them a few years ago.

It’s funny the full circle that’s come, in Sacramento we didn’t own a microwave and now, it’s one of my favorite appliances for heating up quick meals and cutting down prep time.

The microwave ready LPC products are their same great creamer potatoes with packaged seasoning. The container is BPA-free and designed with easy-to-hold tabs and pour spouts with easy plating. I’m using the savory herb flavor for this bowl, but the garlic parsley variety also works.

My grandmother originally made this salad with hard boiled eggs, but I decided to use tofu to keep the entire bowl plant-based. That prep takes a little more time if you are making everything together, but you can make the tofu ahead of time and marinate the tofu until you’re ready to enjoy it.

Lastly, the vegetable choices in this bowl is really up to you. I love the crunchy red cabbage with the steamed green beans and crisp cucumber, but use what you like! If you’re anything like me, you’ll likely also want to drink the dressing. It’s so good! I use leftovers on soba noodles, on grilled tempeh and on salads.

To make this ahead of time: prep and cook all of the vegetables, keeping the cooked and raw vegetables separate. Make the tofu and keep separate. When ready to assemble, heat the previously cooked vegetables and add to the raw vegetables and tofu. Drizzle with more dressing and enjoy!

Print