Texas Red Chili (Cup)

What's in the Texas Red Chili (Cup)?

At 290 calories per serving, the Texas Red Chili (Cup) represents about 14% of a 2,000-calorie daily intake. On the macronutrient side, roughly 23% of those calories come from protein, 47% from fat, and 29% from carbohydrates — a profile typical of Texas Roadhouse's Soup section. Sodium is often the line to watch with sit-down chain entrees, and this dish delivers 1320mg, or about 57% of the FDA's daily reference value. If you're watching salt, pairing the Texas Red Chili (Cup) with a side salad (dressing on the side) and water rather than a sweetened beverage is the standard mitigation. Like most items at Texas Roadhouse, 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 Texas Red Chili (Cup) supplies 290 calories, which represents roughly 15% 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 24% protein, 29% carbohydrate and 47% 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 17g 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 1320mg, or about 57% of the FDA's 2,300mg daily reference value. That is on the higher end for a single restaurant serving. It still fits a normal day if other meals are light, but two restaurant meals in a row at this sodium level will add up quickly.

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 Texas Red Chili (Cup) at Texas Roadhouse sits roughly 15% heavier than the category average. It also delivers 33mg more 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 Texas Red Chili (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

Beef chili, beans, cheddar

The bottom line

The Texas Red Chili (Cup) from Texas Roadhouse is a light entry on the chain's menu at 290 calories and 1,320mg 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.