2tablespoonsfresh parsley leavesfinely diced (or your favorite fresh herbs, scallions, chives, or cilantro would work great)
Instructions
Cut your pressed tofu into 1-inch cubes. In a bowl, combine the tofu cubes with the blackening seasoning and stir gently to coat the tofu in the seasoning.
Preheat a large skillet or casserole pan (or use a large skillet). Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil (reserve the rest for later), swirl it around the pan, and carefully add the seasoned tofu. Cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side. You don't need to brown every side, but try to get at least 3 sides nicely browned.Remove the tofu to a plate or a heat-safe bowl and set aside.
If using the casserole pan, lower the heat to medium-low (or get a heavy-bottom soup pot and heat over medium-low heat). Add the rest of the olive oil and the chopped onion and carrots. Sauté for 5-8 minutes.
Add the green beans, diced tomatoes, and no-chicken broth. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and allow to simmer, stirring frequently, until the green beans and carrots are cooked to your liking (about 5-10 minutes if you like them crunchy!). Here you have an option to add more water/broth if you want more of a soupy consistency.
Add the black-eyed peas, blackened tofu, and fresh parsley. Remove from heat and stir gently to combine. Serve hot on its own, or over rice.
Notes
→ Type of pot/pan: You will need to brown the tofu, set it aside, then sauté the onion+carrots. If you have a large casserole pan / braiser where you can do this in 1 pan (such as this), use that. If you need to brown the tofu in a skillet and then make the rest of the dish in a soup pot, that will work as well.→ Spice level / blackened seasoning: If you're not sure how much spice you want, lightly season the tofu with blackened seasoning. You can always add more directly to the broth, but you can't undo the spice. Check if your seasoning contains salt, if it does then I recommend going lighter on the broth seasoning.→ Save time and use frozen veggies: If you want to save some time, use 3 cups of frozen veggies (a mix of carrot, peas, green beans) in place of the fresh carrots and green beans. I recommend a shorter simmering time if starting with frozen veggies, because they get soft faster.→ Vegan broth bouillon: I love Better than Bouillon no-chicken base. The instructions on the jar say to mix it with water to make broth, but for this recipe I simply add some of the paste to the diced tomato broth to season it. Another option is McKays Chicken Style Instant Broth. If you want to make this dish more of a soup, you can add some water to make a broth.