Cuban Black Bean Soup (Cup)

What's in the Cuban Black Bean Soup (Cup)?

At 180 calories per serving, the Cuban Black Bean Soup (Cup) represents about 9% of a 2,000-calorie daily intake. On the macronutrient side, roughly 18% of those calories come from protein, 35% from fat, and 47% from carbohydrates — a profile typical of Bahama Breeze's Soup section. Sodium is often the line to watch with sit-down chain entrees, and this dish delivers 890mg, or about 39% of the FDA's daily reference value. If you're watching salt, pairing the Cuban Black Bean Soup (Cup) with a side salad (dressing on the side) and water rather than a sweetened beverage is the standard mitigation. Like most items at Bahama Breeze, the dish is built for shareable portions and is plated at restaurant scale rather than a strict single serving. Boxing half of it before you start is one of the simplest ways to bring the per-meal calorie load down meaningfully without giving up the experience.

How this fits a 2,000-calorie day

One serving of the Cuban Black Bean Soup (Cup) supplies 180 calories, which represents roughly 9% of a 2,000-calorie reference day. That is on the lighter side for a sit-down restaurant entrée and gives a comfortable margin to add a starter, a side, or even dessert without crowding the day's caloric budget.

The macronutrient split lands at roughly 18% protein, 47% carbohydrate and 35% fat by calorie share — a useful frame because raw gram counts often understate how much of a dish's energy actually comes from fat. Protein delivery at 8g is in the ordinary mid-range for the category — enough to anchor a meal, not high enough to be the dish's selling point.

Sodium clocks in at 890mg, or about 39% of the FDA's 2,300mg daily reference value. That is well within a reasonable share for a single meal and gives plenty of room for the rest of the day.

Allergen profile

No major allergens flagged

No major allergens are flagged on this item in the chain's posted nutrition disclosure. That said, every full-service restaurant kitchen handles wheat, dairy, eggs and seafood somewhere on the line, so cross-contact remains possible. If you have a severe allergy, telling the server before ordering — and asking for the manager's confirmation that the kitchen can accommodate — is the standard precaution.

How it stacks up against the casual-dining category

Across the 14 Soup entries we track in this category — averaging 253 calories and 1,287mg sodium per serving — the Cuban Black Bean Soup (Cup) at Bahama Breeze sits roughly 29% lighter than the category average. It also delivers 397mg less sodium than the typical Soup item we list, which is the more useful number if you're cross-shopping menus on the way to a reservation.

For direct cross-shopping, here are the closest Soup matches we track at competing chains:

Ordering strategy

If the Cuban Black Bean Soup (Cup) is the entrée you want, the highest-leverage adjustments are usually the ones that change the surrounding meal rather than the dish itself. Because the entrée itself is moderate, you have headroom for an appetizer or a starter side without dropping into restrictive territory — useful for a longer dinner where the goal is to stretch the meal rather than minimize it. Sauces, dressings and finishing oils are routinely the largest hidden source of calories on a casual-dining plate; getting them on the side gives you direct portion control without changing the dish you actually want to eat.

Ingredients summary

Black beans, peppers, onions, cilantro

The bottom line

The Cuban Black Bean Soup (Cup) from Bahama Breeze is a light entry on the chain's menu at 180 calories and 890mg of sodium per serving. Protein content is on the lower side for an entrée — pairing with a protein-forward side or starter is the obvious adjustment. Anyone tracking sodium specifically — including most people on blood-pressure medication — should weigh this dish against the chain's lower-sodium options on the same menu before committing.