I love the perfect blend of tomato sauce and the ‘meaty’ herb infused polpetta. When they’re served with a lightly dressed, fresh green leaf salad, it’s the perfect lunch or dinner to leave you feeling light and energised.
As I said, the beauty of this recipe is that you just roll these polpetta and serve them right away, or you can dehydrate them for a couple of hours to warm them through and make them slightly crunchy on the outside.
For the picture, we rolled them in a little ground almond and nutritional yeast, which not only makes them visually more appealing, but also gives them an extra layer of flavour.
Leave me a comment under the recipe and let me know how you like them.
Rate This Recipe
Salsa Finta & Almond Polpetta
This is a really great little satisfying recipe that doesn't need a dehydrator, but looks really beautiful on the plate, with not too much effort.
Servings4
Nutrition (For one serving)
Calories: 439kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 16gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 447mgPotassium: 1759mgFiber: 11gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 1345IUVitamin C: 46mgCalcium: 172mgIron: 5mg
Ingredients
Salsa finta
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 cups tomatoes fresh
- 1 date soft
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 5 basil leaves large
- 1/4 cup water
Almond polpetta
- 1 cup almonds soaked
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp parsley fresh, chopped
- 1 tbsp Italian herbs
- 1/4 cup onion
Assembly
- 2 courgette zucchini, medium-size
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt
Instructions
Salsa finta
- Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender.
Almond polpetta
- Grind the almonds to crumbs in a food processor.
- Add remaining ingredients with an additional of 1/4 cup salsa finta and process again until thoroughly mixed.
- Form into small balls and optionally dehydrate at 115° F for 6 hours or until they are slightly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Assembly
- Cut the courgette lengthwise with a mandoline. Lay the strips on top of each other and, using a knife, cut them lengthwise into fettuccine-style strips.
- Mix the strips with the olive oil and salt in a large bowl and allow to soften for a couple of minutes.
- Put the desired amount of salsa finta on the plate; I usually like to put it around the centre of the plate, leaving room for the salad in the middle. Then I can place the polpetta on top of the sauce for a simple presentation.
Notes
Take a couple of handfuls of mixed leaves per person (a mix of rocket & chard is great), and mix with strips of courgette (zucchini) pasta. To make enough courgette pasta for 4 people, use the recipe above.
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Thank you so much for a super recipe. It was delicious and fun to make. You are a genius:)
I really dislike tomatoes so I used a home made pesto sauce and an olive oil and lemon dressing – yum!!
Amazing!! I’m tempted to try that myself 🙂
youre tremendous! what a dish to make, cant wait! My mouth is watering from those glorious ingredients. Thx Russell 🙂 x
Thanks, Cath. They ARE glorious 🙂
looks great, wondering what makes the outside of the balls while
It’s in the instructions 🙂 A little bit of ground almond with nutritional yeast.
Thank you so much Russell. I am always looking for refreshing recipes as this one to keep me cool in these very hot summer days in South Florida.
This will definitely be enjoyed this evening for my dinner.
Awesome, thanks, Michelle.
don’t want to use the yeast, can it be left out, or does it need an alternative?
Leave it out, that’s fine.
Bloody Wonderful 🙂 🙂 Really delicious Raw Chef does it again! Thank you 🙂
Thanks, Alison 🙂
Hi Russell – This looks 100% intriguing! Were the polpette in the photo rolled in something before they were dehydrated ? More nutritional yeast, perhaps? The color difference is very appealing.
Yep, it’s in the recipe 🙂 . . . a little ground oat and nutritional yeast.
Hi Russell! New to raw and not sure if I can sub almond pulp for the whole almonds? Would the recipe change -would I need more almond pulp & if so, about how much. Many thanks & appreciate you!
yep, that’s cool — just grind up the almonds in a food processor and use them like that.
Will try this for sure !!!!
hi James,
We had this for dinner and I had good comments! I forgot to had the salsa into the balls but it was good anyway….
Good easy receipe! Thanks
Hey Sylvie, thanks! Good to hear 🙂
Can you put them in the oven at 115* C for 6hrs if you don’t have a dehydrator?
It’s 115 degrees F, not C. It would be around 42 degrees C, which most ovens don’t go down to, but if you’ve got an oven with a good fan, putting it on it’s lowest setting for about 1/4 of the time is usually good.
I have a video about using your oven instead of a dehydrator.
What kind of light dressing would you put on the greens? It looks so beautiful. Can’t wait to try it.
I would use a simple olive oil and apple cider vinegar dressing.
Hey, Russell–
Thank you for the recipe. I was originally going to have zucchini pasta for dinner, but instead I’m going to have this. I’m heading out to purchase the sun-dried tomatoes and then I’ll be preparing this for dinner. Many of your recipes are staples in my home now with my daughter and me and I’ve introduced my mom to raw meals as well. Keep those recipes comin’. Thanks again. 🙂
I love that! Thanks, Tina 🙂
Looks like a great recipe. Looking forward to making this! Thanks!
Thanks, Candice 🙂
Good Morning Russell this looks great. My new food processor is getting delivered in am and can’t wait to break it in (love my toy’s). Thanks for the recipe this looks YUMMY!
Have a amazing day!
Great timing then, Kat! 🙂
Hi Russell,
I now know what I am making for dinner tonight! Looks like a winner! How long should I soak the almonds? Love what you do! Thank you!
I normally soak overnight and say that 4 hours is a minimum. But even if you only have, say, 1 hour, it’s still worth soaking them.
Thanks Russell!
This looks delicious definitely need to try this!
Thanks, Annette 🙂
Gorgeous creations and beautiful presentation! 🙂
Thanks, Veronica 🙂
Hey Russell! :)) I have never heard of “Salsa Finta.” What exactly is it and where might I be able to find it in the States? When I read the recipe title I thought it was the sauce but then found it listed as an ingredient IN the sauce! haha 🙂 BTW – Your recipe looks great! Can’t wait to find the last ingredient so I can make it! :)) Thanks for all your initiative and creativity with food … your many talents comes through loud & clear!!!! :o))))
Hey Susan, thanks! 🙂
Actually, you were right initially; salsa finta is the sauce recipe. A bit of it is used in the polpetta (almond balls) not in the sauce.
Hi Russell
I’m a certified raw food chef from the LLI in Calafornia and as far as I’m aware the only one in Scotland.
So long story short….I’m fussy! Just made it and put in the dehydrator and was delighted. 100 times easier as our raw falafes at school and as tasty.
Keep them coming!
Cheers Heather x
Thank you.
Thanks so much, Heather. Always great to satisfy to satisfy a fussy one 🙂
Fantastic recipe! I will definitely try it. As always you are such a great inspiration, Russell!
Warm greetings – Dominique
Thanks, Dominique 🙂
Do you have simple raw food ideas?
yep, you’re looking at it 🙂
Dear James,
This recipe is wonderful as it was years ago when I first saw it….but I must say…the first presentation appeal to me much better…the polpetta on this one looks like dessert..like truffels rolled in coconut shreds….as I said I am sure it tastes great as all the recipes you provide just…well you know what I mean…you asked for comments and I am honest…still admire you LOL
Haha, ok. Thanks, Grace.
This looks delicious Russell. I am definitely going to make this. Thanks!
Thanks, Michele.
Hi Russell, thanks for the latest recipe, I am whipping this up for dinner tonight, looking forward to the flavours, thank heaps, you are doing a great job. Kathy NZ 🙂
Hi Russell, thanks for the latest recipe, I am whipping this up for dinner tonight, looking forward to the flavours, thank heaps, you are doing a great job. Kathy NZ 🙂
Russell, I made this today AND it was amazing. Thank you for sharing your gift of food with us. ^_^
Russell, I made this today AND it was amazing. Thank you for sharing your gift of food with us. ^_^
Thanks, Suggie 🙂 I’m glad you liked it.
Russell!!!
I made this dish at the weekend and I am at my desk having the left overs. t tasted good then and even better now. Thet are to die for!!! Back in my meat eating days, I loved meatballs and my daughters still love them, and I do still make them. This recipe gets me as close as I could have imagined to my good old meat balls (and mine are pretty damn good!)
DELICIOUS!!
Thank you. And so easy to prepare. I do not have a dehyrdater but did my open oven trick and it worked a treat.
Try this if you haven’t already. This is a definate 10!!!
Dawn
🙂
Russell!!!
I made this dish at the weekend and I am at my desk having the left overs. t tasted good then and even better now. Thet are to die for!!! Back in my meat eating days, I loved meatballs and my daughters still love them, and I do still make them. This recipe gets me as close as I could have imagined to my good old meat balls (and mine are pretty damn good!)
DELICIOUS!!
Thank you. And so easy to prepare. I do not have a dehyrdater but did my open oven trick and it worked a treat.
Try this if you haven’t already. This is a definate 10!!!
Dawn
🙂
Awesome, thanks, Dawn! 🙂
Always good to hear from people that have managed to use their oven with the door open, instead of the dehydrator, as I get asked that quite a lot.
Wow. I gotta say, this dish is scrumptious! I’m new to raw and have been really thinking I might scratch it as the recipes I’ve tried so far have sucked. This has definitely changed my mind. YUM!
Wow. I gotta say, this dish is scrumptious! I’m new to raw and have been really thinking I might scratch it as the recipes I’ve tried so far have sucked. This has definitely changed my mind. YUM!
I tried the Salsa Finta and Almond Polpetta for dinner and it tasted wonderful – so yummy!!! This was the first recipe that I tried using my dehydrator. Great – look forward to trying more! Thank you Russell!
I tried the Salsa Finta and Almond Polpetta for dinner and it tasted wonderful – so yummy!!! This was the first recipe that I tried using my dehydrator. Great – look forward to trying more! Thank you Russell!
Is nutritional yeast the same as brewers or yeast extract? Or does it come under any name. I’ve asked at several health stores here in ireland and they don’t seem to know what it is and just offer me yeast extract.
I’m surprised that you can’t buy Engevita yeast in your health food store. I am from Cork and it is in every health food shop down here. I’m sure you will be able to ask your local health food shop to stock it. I recently asked my local store to stock the version with added B12 and they had no problem doing that.
Is nutritional yeast the same as brewers or yeast extract? Or does it come under any name. I’ve asked at several health stores here in ireland and they don’t seem to know what it is and just offer me yeast extract.
Noooo, very different 🙂 You’re looking for nutritional yeast.
This is the one I buy in the UK:
http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/579698_Marigold_Engevita_Nutritional_Yeast_Flakes__125g.html
I’m surprised that you can’t buy Engevita yeast in your health food store. I am from Cork and it is in every health food shop down here. I’m sure you will be able to ask your local health food shop to stock it. I recently asked my local store to stock the version with added B12 and they had no problem doing that.
Yummy! you crazy…I’m gonna die over here drooling over ;))))
I have to try this urgent!
Yummy! you crazy…I’m gonna die over here drooling over ;))))
I have to try this urgent!
yummm!!!
I made these almond balls yesterday thinking that I’ll have it for dinner. But after workout I didn’t feel like eating at all. SO just had a green green smoothie. Today I came back from work hungry as a wolf, made the salsa quickly (with a pinch of cayenne for a kick), made the noodles from courgette, put it all on a bed of spinach and oh God. I was in raw heaven. My tastebuds went crazy. Somehow it reminded me of Spaghetti Bolognese. Now I’m regretting that I didn’t eat it yesterday. And today, and tomorrow…. it’s so good…. mmmmm. You’re a star.X
yummm!!!
I made these almond balls yesterday thinking that I’ll have it for dinner. But after workout I didn’t feel like eating at all. SO just had a green green smoothie. Today I came back from work hungry as a wolf, made the salsa quickly (with a pinch of cayenne for a kick), made the noodles from courgette, put it all on a bed of spinach and oh God. I was in raw heaven. My tastebuds went crazy. Somehow it reminded me of Spaghetti Bolognese. Now I’m regretting that I didn’t eat it yesterday. And today, and tomorrow…. it’s so good…. mmmmm. You’re a star.X
Thanks, Lucia 🙂
It’s great when you have some of these foods in your fridge ready to go — even better when you forget they’re there and then see them when you’re hungry 🙂
I know what you mean about only wanting a green smoothie after a workout though.
It loolks delicious. I am looking forward to trued it. Thanks
It loolks delicious. I am looking forward to trued it. Thanks
Amazing recipes on this site. Made this one last week and it was fantastic. Thank you so much for your inspiration.
Amazing recipes on this site. Made this one last week and it was fantastic. Thank you so much for your inspiration.
Thanks Russell, I made these last night. Accept I couldn't stop eating the almond mixture before it even went in the dehydrator. Delicious! Tanya Alekseeva
Thanks Russell, I made these last night. Accept I couldn’t stop eating the almond mixture before it even went in the dehydrator. Delicious! Tanya Alekseeva
WOULD YOU COME TO ARIZONA SOMETIME?
THE DISH LOOKS WONDERFUL. I AM HAVING TROUBLE STAYING ON THE RAW . I AM GAINING WEIGHT AND VERY FATIGUED. HELP
WOULD YOU COME TO ARIZONA SOMETIME?
THE DISH LOOKS WONDERFUL. I AM HAVING TROUBLE STAYING ON THE RAW . I AM GAINING WEIGHT AND VERY FATIGUED. HELP
Looks wonderful! Is there something I can replace the nutritional yeast with?
This is only my second completely raw meal. I LOVED it. I could eat those ‘meat’ balls every day, without the guilt. Easy to follow recipe that I will be making again. Thank you so much for sharing.
This is very tasty. Made it for my son and I last week.
The Almond Polpetta has a lovely flavor that can be overwhelmed with the savory sauce. All quite delicious any way you serve it.
Hi Russell, this looks amazing! I want to try it out tomorrow, but I’m wondering if I need a food dehydrator to dehydrate the polpetta or if I should just leave it sitting out to dehydrate?
Thanks!
From Russell: A dehydrator would definitely be better but not essential. You can roll and eat them straight away.
Hi from South AFrica
Whatever is Sals Finta ??
What can I substitute for it ??
regards
Mary
From Russell: Salsa Finta is the tomato sauce – it’s a bit further down in the instructions where it tells you how to make it.
Hi Russell, I live in Italy and just discovered your site -wonderful.!
But what is nutritional yeast, and can you tell me Kilo grams vs cups…
I am looking forward to trying out your raw dishes.
Thank you for the inspiration.
From Russell: Hi! Check out nutritional yeast here and online conversion here.
Hi Russel,
I’m just starting out with raw food…what is Salsa Finca and where do I get it?
Thanks, Mo
From Russell: Salsa finta is the sauce – it’s the first part of the recipe, so once you’ve made it you just add a little in to the polpetta part of the recipe.
That looks incredible!
i am allergic to raw almonds…can i use dry roaasted almonds instead? (hee hee…silly question for a raw foods chef, but I love the idea and just need to substitute for the almonds)!!
From Russell: Toasted almonds will work, if you’re happy to eat them.
Great recipe love this web page
Russell:
Thank you so much for this excellent dish; I’ve just made it for a sunny Southern California evening, along with your EXCELLENT Pomegranate Cheesecake… what a perfect meal. I can’t wait to try every other creation of yours!! When is your cookbook coming out? Coupled with your beautiful photographs, the intellectual capital invested into these recipes must be financially rewarded. In any event, cheers mate!!
From Russell: Thanks for that Karl, no date on the book as yet, but it will be happening 🙂
Ok, never mind. I’m obviously blind and didn’t even see that it was part one of the recipe. I’m glad nobody made fun of me. 🙂
Ok, I’m feeling very “culinary challenged” right now. Can you please tell me what salsa finta is all about? I’d like to make this recipe and have everything, but maybe this salsa finta. Thanks!
From Russell: Salsa finta is the sauce you make with the list of ingredients at the top of the recipe, you then mix that will the polpetta (“meatballs”) created in the second part of the recipe. I hope I’ve made that clearer.
An absolutely amazing recipe! It’s the first truly raw recipe I’ve ever made or eaten, and I must say I couldn’t have chosen a better introduction to raw food. This one is definitely going to be on my frequent rotation list of dinners. Instead of almonds in the polpetta I used cashews since almonds are an allergy no-no in my house. Thanks so much for the recipe, Russel. It’s made me really excited about further forays into raw food.
Russel this is a serioooously tasty recipe.I tried it yesterday and it was devine. As I am new to the world of raw I had no idea what polpetta was. I was also worried that the whole thing would be to complicated; but there was nothing to worry about. It worked a treat. I’m going to try your lasagne next and can’t wait. I also read your piece on choosing a knife. It was brilliant for newbies like me.Thank you.When can we expect the DVD?
best wishes.
Cauline
Excellent! Very tasty and tangy!
Oh Russel, that looks so delicious! I so love eating your blog with my eyes, the food photography is tasty and your creations are stunning.
Looking forward to some yule tide recipes for the festive season….but this looks delicious!***
Oh that looks sooooo scrumptious!!! Thanks for sharing!
Oh, raw raw! (I can’t help it. I love bad puns. Seriously, this looks insanely tasty.)
Damn, I’d hit that!