How many calories in a Lou Malnati's medium pizza? A complete nutritional guide

November 27, 2025 •

3 min read

With a rich, buttery crust and generous toppings, deep dish pizza is famously decadent, and a Lou Malnati's medium deep dish can pack over 3,000 calories depending on the type. Understanding how many calories in a Lou Malnati's medium pizza can help you make an informed choice, whether you're craving a classic Chicago-style pie or a lighter thin crust option.

Quick Summary

This guide details the calorie content for various Lou Malnati's medium pizzas, covering both deep dish and thin crust. It provides a breakdown per slice and per full pizza, helping you understand the nutritional impact of different toppings and crust types.

Key Points

Deep Dish Calories: A medium deep dish Lou Malnati's pizza can have over 3,000 total calories, with the Chicago Classic topping 4,000.
Thin Crust vs. Deep Dish: A medium thin crust pizza has significantly fewer calories, typically between 1,600 and 1,800 for most options.
Per Slice Counts: A medium deep dish slice is roughly 530-670 calories, while a medium thin crust slice is around 270-300 calories.
Calorie Contributors: The buttery crust, abundant cheese, and dense toppings like sausage make deep dish pizzas much higher in calories.
Portion Control is Key: A medium pizza is cut into 6 slices, and being mindful of portion sizes is crucial for managing calorie intake, especially with the rich deep dish varieties.

Calorie Count for Lou Malnati's Medium Pizzas

When it comes to Chicago-style pizza, Lou Malnati's is legendary for its deep, savory flavor, which comes with a significant caloric load. A medium pizza from Lou Malnati's is typically divided into six slices. The total calorie count is heavily influenced by the crust type and the specific toppings. Below is a detailed look at the calorie breakdown for some of the most popular medium pizzas.

Medium Deep Dish Pizza Calories

Deep dish pizza's signature thick, buttery crust and substantial cheese and topping layers contribute to its higher calorie density. Here's what you can expect for a few favorites:

The Chicago Classic: Made with a lean sausage patty and extra cheese, a medium Chicago Classic deep dish pizza contains approximately 4,020 total calories (670 calories per slice, 6 slices).
The "Lou": This pizza, with its rich mix of spinach, mushrooms, and a three-cheese blend on garlic buttercrust, totals around 3,300 calories (550 calories per slice, 6 slices).
Cheese Deep Dish: A simpler medium cheese deep dish pizza has about 3,180 total calories (530 calories per slice, 6 slices).
Sausage Deep Dish: A medium sausage deep dish pizza contains roughly 3,420 total calories (570 calories per slice, 6 slices).

Medium Thin Crust Pizza Calories

For those seeking a less indulgent option, Lou Malnati's thin crust offers a significantly lower calorie alternative. These pizzas are also cut into six slices for a medium size.

Cheese Thin Crust: A medium cheese thin crust pizza comes in at approximately 1,620 total calories (270 calories per slice, 6 slices).
Sausage Thin Crust: The medium sausage thin crust pizza has about 1,800 total calories (300 calories per slice, 6 slices).
The "Lou" Thin Crust: Opting for the thin crust version of The Lou brings the total down to around 1,800 calories (300 calories per slice, 6 slices).

Deep Dish vs. Thin Crust: A Nutritional Comparison


Pizza Type	Calories Per Slice	Slices Per Medium	Total Calories	Total Fat	Total Carbs
Deep Dish Chicago Classic	670	6	4,020	41g	45g
Deep Dish “The Lou”	550	6	3,300	31g	47g
Deep Dish Cheese	530	6	3,180	29g	45g
Thin Crust Cheese	270	6	1,620	17g	20g
Thin Crust Sausage	300	6	1,800	19g	19g

What Makes Deep Dish So Calorie-Dense?

Several factors contribute to the higher caloric content of Lou Malnati's deep dish pizza, particularly the Chicago Classic:

Buttery Crust: The famous buttery crust, a signature of Chicago-style deep dish, adds a substantial amount of fat and calories compared to a thin crust.
Volume of Cheese: Deep dish pizza features a thick layer of high-fat cheese, which is a major contributor to the overall calories.
Ingredient Density: The tall sides of the deep dish pan allow for more ingredients to be packed into each slice, increasing the density of cheese, sauce, and toppings.
Hearty Toppings: Toppings like the large sausage patty used in the Chicago Classic add a significant amount of fat and protein, further elevating the calorie count.

Tips for Reducing Calories

For those looking to enjoy Lou Malnati's while minding their calorie intake, here are a few strategies:

Choose Thin Crust: Opting for thin crust is the most effective way to cut calories, with a medium cheese thin crust pizza containing less than half the total calories of a Chicago Classic deep dish.
Be Mindful of Portion Size: With deep dish, it's easy to overeat due to its hearty nature. Stick to a single slice, especially when enjoying one of the higher-calorie options. Remember, the total calories are for the whole pizza, not per person.
Consider Toppings: Load up on vegetable toppings instead of meat. Toppings like mushrooms, onions, and spinach provide flavor with fewer calories compared to sausage and pepperoni. Lou Malnati's official nutrition information can provide guidance on specific toppings.

Conclusion

The calorie count for a medium Lou Malnati's pizza varies dramatically based on whether you choose deep dish or thin crust, and which toppings are included. While a medium Chicago Classic deep dish can exceed 4,000 calories, a medium cheese thin crust is a much lighter choice at around 1,620 calories. By being aware of these differences and practicing portion control, you can still enjoy this iconic Chicago pizza while managing your dietary goals.

Official Nutritional Information

For the most up-to-date and comprehensive nutritional information, it is always best to consult the official source provided by Lou Malnati's.

Lou Malnati's Pizza Nutrition Information

Frequently Asked Questions

A medium Lou Malnati's deep dish or thin crust pizza is typically cut into six slices.

The calorie difference is substantial. A medium deep dish pizza can have more than double the calories of a medium thin crust pizza, largely due to the thicker crust and higher volume of ingredients.

The thin crust options with vegetable toppings are the least calorie-dense choice. You can also opt for the crustless pizza, which is very low in calories but only available in deep dish style.

Yes, Lou Malnati's provides detailed nutritional information on their website, which covers various menu items including different pizza sizes and types.

Deep dish pizza has more calories primarily because of its thick, buttery crust, a larger quantity of cheese, and more generous, dense toppings compared to thin crust pizzas.

A medium 'The Lou' deep dish pizza contains approximately 3,300 total calories, or about 550 calories per slice.

The calories for frozen and restaurant versions may differ slightly. It's best to check the nutritional information on the specific product packaging for frozen pizzas, as they are often prepared differently.