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Step out of reality and into Pandora – World of Avatar with these delicious Satu’li Bowls from the Satu’li Canteen Menu at Walt Disney World.
Featured with this recipe
These Satu’li Bowls are a MUST when visiting Walt Disney World. Each bite is bursting with an array of different, fresh flavors. You will feel like you have stepped out of reality and into the World of Avatar. Create your own salad, rice bowl, potato bowl, or noodle bowl using the ingredients in this recipe. The combinations and possibilities are endless!
What Ingredients Do You Need?
For this recipe you will need some very common ingredients such as olive oil, vinegar, carrots, beef, chicken, along with some not so common ingredients. I will break down some of the ingredients that aren’t as easy to find and tell you where/how to find them:
- Lo Mein Noodles: I was able to find these in the Asian section of my regular grocery store. You will be able to find them at any Asian market as well. They came in a pack like spaghetti noodles. If you can’t find lo mein noodles, Yakisoba noodles would probably work fine.
- Ground Sumac: This one is tricky. You can find it at an Asian market in a small packet. I just asked one of the employees where I could find it and they led me right to it. If you can’t find sumac, I have heard that lemon zest is a decent substitute.
- Cardamom/Turmeric: You should be able to find both of these in the spice section of your grocery store.
- Boba “Popping” Balls: Not to be confused with tapioca boba balls. You want these boba pearls to have the juice in the middle. The kind that gives you a little juice explosion when you bite into them. I read online that you can find them at most Asian markets but I called every. single. Asian market in my area and I couldn’t find them anywhere. Finally, I remembered seeing them at a build-your-own frozen yogurt shop and tried my luck there… SUCCESS! They actually had cups that were pre filled with the boba balls that you could buy (without having to get any frozen yogurt). The flavor doesn’t really matter, but I think the ones we got were strawberry.
What’s In A Satu’li Bowl?
The Satu’li bowl is a “build your own” protein bowl recipe. You basically pick a meat option, then a base, and a sauce. Each is topped with the crunchy slaw and a few boba balls. Here are the options:
- Pick Your Protein:
- Combination grilled chicken and beef
- Chili-garlic shrimp
- Grilled wood-fired chicken breasts
- Wood-grilled chicken thighs
- Slow roasted sliced beef
- Crispy fried tofu
- Pick Your Base:
- Rice and black beans
- Stir fry Lo mein noodles
- Red and sweet potato hash
- Quinoa
- Hearty Salad (basically a kale salad)
- Brown Rice or other grain bowls
- Riced cauliflower
- Blue noodles
- Pick Your Sauce:
- Black bean vinaigrette
- Creamy herb dressing
- Charred green onion vinaigrette
- Soy sauce or sesame oil for a sweet soy drizzle
For the recipe below, we made the combination chicken/beef bowls with the lo mein noodles and creamy herb dressing. I have had several variations/combinations of the bowls and this one is my favorite by far.
How to Make Satu’li bowls
Though these bowls seem to have a lot of ingredients, the preparation part really isn’t that hard. In fact, they’re great for meal prep! They’re kind of like a burrito bowl, where you have a basic base and then all the ingredients to make your own flavors. Most of it is mixing marinades/dressings and letting them sit overnight. Here’s how to make them:
- Prepare marinades for chicken and beef and marinate meat (separately) in the refrigerator overnight. Keep it covered on a baking sheet or covered in a skillet.
- Prepare creamy herb dressing and allow to set overnight (this is very important, you want those flavors to combine or it won’t taste right)
- On the day of serving, remove beef from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temp (about 1 hour). Roast at a low temperature for 3-4 hours or until beef has an internal temperature of 130-degrees, then allow beef to rest and cut into thin slices.
- Now is time for the carbs. While the beef is roasting, prepare the lo mein noodles and allow to cool (you can serve them warm but they are served chilled at Animal Kingdom).
- Grill the chicken, beef, tuna, or any other protein and dice into bite-sized pieces. Or if you’re preparing a vegan protein bowl, add in some tofu or other vegan ingredients.
- Prepare the slaw by making the easy dressing and tossing with veggies like carrots and cabbage.
- To arrange the bowls, place the noodles in each bowl and top with chicken, beef, slaw, and boba balls. Serve with a drizzle of dressing on the side or over the meat.
More Toppings for Satu’li Bowls
Much like other types of protein bowls, you can create your very own complete meals with a list of favorite ingredients of fruits, vegetables and other items to toss on top:
- Feta cheese
- Brussels sprouts
- Bell pepper
- Broccoli
- Mushrooms
- Vegan proteins like firm tofu
- Cilantro
- Sliced avocado or whole Avocados
- Peanut
- Red cabbage
- Cucumbers
- Watermelon radish
- Rainbow carrots
- Chickpeas
- Sesame Seeds
- Ginger
- Ground beef
- Greek yogurt
- Lime juice or another hint of citrus
- Pickle
Satu’li Canteen Menu
Though the Satu’li bowls are the main entree at Satu’li Canteen, there are all sorts of other fantastic menu items. You can’t go wrong with the blueberry cream cheese mousse or the chocolate cake for dessert. There is also a great kids menu including several “Mickey check” like a beef hot dog in bao buns with ketchup and mustard, cheeseburger steamed pods, a cheese quesadilla with vegetable chips, or items. Have an allergy? The Satu’li Canteen menu also includes gluten-free, dairy free, egg free, fish free, soy free, and tree nut free options. Pretty much any of the menu items can be made to be allergy friendly. How cool is that?
Where in the [Walt Disney] World is Satu’li Canteen?
Satu’li Canteen is located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park in the Land of Avatar (aka Pandora). You will find it across from the Windtraders Shop at the exit of the Flight of Passage ride (best. ride. ever.) Save time by putting your mobile order in on the WDW app. You can just walk up to the front of the line and pick up your order at the quick service restaurant! Definitely save room in your Disney dining plan for this stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
The meal itself is pretty complete, but a beverage is always a delicious and wonderful thing! Something yummy to make is the Pandoran Sunrise, an intoxicating and non-alcoholic blend of tropical fruit juice and Melon Powerade. If you are feeling adult (or even want to make a mock-tail version of any of these) try making any of these alcoholic beverages, such as Hawkes’ Grog Ale, a draft beer with notes of apricot and peach. Make a margarita (or mock-margarita!) with blended lime and kiwi– so sour it will transport you to another planet!
Satu’li Canteen has several bowl options with various meats and a Chili-Spiced Crispy Fried Tofu. When you order the bowls you pick a base and a sauce. There are four bases to choose from, Red and Sweet Potato Hash, Rice and Black Beans, Mixed Whole Grains and Rice, and Hearty Salad. You can also use crunchy vegetable slaw, a tofu bowl, a chili-garlic shrimp bowl or another combination bowl.
Along with your choice of base, for sauces you will find three options. They are a black bean vinaigrette, creamy herb dressing or a charred green onion vinaigrette. But they can also offer chili-garlic sauce,
Read More: Our Favorite Foods at Disneyland
More Disney Recipes:
Can’t get enough Disney recipes? Here are some more of our favorites:
- Endorian Roasted Chicken Salad (Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge)
- Cozy Cone Street Corn in a Cup (Radiator Springs)
- Disneyland Jalapeño Cheese Stuffed Pretzel
- Disneyland New Orleans Square Mint Julep
To see ALL of our Disney recipes, browse our Disney restaurant guides, and to learn all of our favorite Disney tips and tricks, check out our entire Disney section!
How to Make a Satu’li Bowl
Satu’li Bowl Recipe
Equipment
- Roasting pan
- Grill
Ingredients
- 20 ounces lo mein noodles
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 tablespoons juicy popping boba balls, for garnish
Slow-Roasted Beef
- 3 pounds beef roast (you won't use ALL the roast, but to make it work for slicing you will want to make the full amount and just use as much as you need)
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons minced fresh garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Grilled Canteen Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons minced fresh garlic
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Crunchy Slaw
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Creamy Herb Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon ground sumac (see notes above)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Slow-Roasted Beef
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together all remaining roast ingredients until well combined.
- Place beef roast in a resealable plastic bag. Pour mixture over the roast and seal the bag, pressing out as much air as you can. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
- Remove beef from the bag and discard excess marinade. Place roast in a roasting pan. Roast, uncovered, at 200 degrees F for 3-4 hours or until internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F. Remove from oven and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 30-40 minutes.
- Using a sharp carving knife, slice into very thin slices to serve over your satu'li bowls.
Grilled Canteen Chicken
- Place chicken thighs in a large resealable plastic bag. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all remaining chicken ingredients. Pour the mixture over the chicken and seal the bag, pressing out as much air as you can. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the bag and discard the excess marinade. Grill over medium heat until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching a temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove from the grill and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Cut chicken into cubes and serve over satu'li bowls.
Crunchy Slaw
- Place the shredded carrot and shredded cabbage in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss the mixture with the carrot-cabbage mixture until well coated.
- Serve immediately over the satu'li bowls.
Creamy Herb Dressing
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse or blend until well combined. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Note: When you first make the dressing it will have no color to it. After it sets you will notice the natural color from the spices will make it look light green, just like in the park.
Assembly
- Cook lo mein noodles according to package directions. Drain well and allow to cool. Toss in olive oil and refrigerate until ready to eat. You can serve the lo mein noodles warm, but they are served cold at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
- Divide lo mein noodles among 6 pasta-sized bowls.
- Add about ½ cup beef and ½ cup chicken to each bowl, or just divide evenly. Add slaw to each bowl and top each with about 2 tablespoons of boba balls.
- Serve with ¼ cup creamy herb dressing per bowl.
Notes
- The beef, the chicken, and the dressing should be made the night before so they can sit overnight. The slaw and lo mein can be prepared right before assembling.
- When you first make the creamy herb dressing, it will have no color to it. After it sets you will notice the natural color from the spices will make it look light green, just like in the park. You can serve it on the side or drizzle it over the meat.
- You can find ground sumac in a small packet at any Asian market. If you can’t find sumac, lemon zest is a decent substitute.
We absolutely loved it! I will admit to one substitution, I didn’t have red wine vinegar and sub-ed white wine vinegar for it. If it made a difference we’ll never know. We made all of it, the beef, chicken, slaw, etc… It was fantastic.
Thank you for the work you put into figuring this recipe out.
Thank you for the comment and review, Missy! I’m so happy you loved it!
I just made the charred green onion vinaigrette at home after loving it at the park. I found it very bitter and too much parsley taste. I think that might be out of proportion a little bit. I also discovered that it has to be served room temp or cold, or it completely ruins the flavor. I might try this again, just with less parsley. Thank you for giving me a starting point though.
This was our favorite food at Disney so I looked for the copycat as soon as we got home and found this recipe. I have made it in different combos probably 12 times since.
I was able to find all of the unusual spices on Amazon without a problem and get the bobo a balls from a local frozen yogurt place.
It is a family favorite and with a little prep is quite easy for how good it is.
Thank you!!
So glad you loved this recipe! Thanks for the review!
Our favorite dressing there is the black bean vinaigrette! Any chance you’ve got a copycat recipe for that?
We don’t have that one yet! Next time I go I will have to try it!
The black bean vinaigrette is our favorite! I will be so excited if you post that recipe!
It was perfect! I have a great Asian market and still wasn’t able to find ground sumac so I substituted lemon zest and didn’t notice a difference in taste. Definitely a favorite, getting added to our weekly dinner meals!
This turned out really great. We made bowls with chili garlic shrimp and I was impressed with how close it was to Disney’s food. I ended up using lemon pepper instead of sumac. (I will use slightly less than 1/4 tsp next time) I also pan fried the noodles in butter and soy after boiling them because I felt they needed some flavor. I will definitely be making this again. I want to try it with the chicken. Thank you.
This recipes sounds wonderful, but when cooking the beef, is the temperature of the oven in F or C ?
Thank you.
We use Fahrenheit!
My daughter made this for our family, we loved it! I am so glad we found this recipe, this is one of our favorite places to eat at in Animal Kingdom!
Thanks for the recipe! We didn’t have any problem finding the seasoning at our store here. My new favorite spice!
These bowls look great! I would love to add them to my weekly lunch menu.
What a fun and exciting recipe. My kids and I have this on the menu for next week. We are really excited to try it!
wow love all of the flavors in this!
I love the different options you have. It’s easy for me to make a gluten-free version. I think the red and sweet potato hash as a base would be awesome.
This recipe sounds amazing! The marinade and that creamy dressing… wow!! This is a winner and I can’t wait to make this!