Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — One of Indonesia’s traditional dishes has earned international recognition in the global culinary scene. Pecel, a traditional salad from East Java, has been ranked among the world’s top 10 best salads by the global food guide TasteAtlas.
TasteAtlas, an online food encyclopedia featuring global dishes, flavors, ingredients, spices, and authentic restaurants, released its “Top 100 Salads in the World” list. Among the selections, Pecel secured the No. 8 spot, joining a list dominated by well-known international salads from countries like Greece and Italy.
Pecel is a traditional Indonesian dish, particularly from East Java, made with a medley of blanched vegetables such as spinach, bean sprouts, long beans, and kenikir leaves, all generously coated in a savory and slightly spicy peanut sauce.
TasteAtlas describes Pecel as a type of salad that combines aromatic peanut dressing with a variety of fresh vegetables. The rankings were based on user ratings submitted by a global audience, with Pecel drawing praise for its authentic flavor, use of fresh ingredients, and deep cultural roots.
Pecel ranked 8th with a rating of 4.3 out of 5, ranked just below globally celebrated salads like Greece’s Dakos (4.5) and Italy’s Caprese (4.3). Here is the full list of the top 10 salads according to TasteAtlas:
- Dakos – Greece (4.5/5)
- Horiatiki Salata – Greece (4.4/5)
- Houria – Tunisia (4.4/5)
- Caprese Salad – Italy (4.3/5)
- Fattoush – Lebanon (4.3/5)
- Kisir – Turkey (4.3/5)
- Shopska Salata – Bulgaria (4.3/5)
- Pecel – Indonesia (4.3/5)
- Pai Huang Gua – China (4.3/5)
- Piyaz – Turkey (4.3/5)
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In the Southeast Asian, the traditional culinary form East Java claimed the top spot, making it the highest-rated salad in the region. In addition to Pecel, two other Indonesian salads also made the TasteAtlas top 50 list—Ketoprak at No. 12 and Gado-Gado at No. 27.
The global spotlight on Pecel and other Indonesian salads reflects the country’s rich culinary heritage and offers a compelling reason for food lovers worldwide to explore the diverse flavors of Indonesian cuisine.
(Raidi/Agung)