How much sodium is in Lou Malnati's pizza? A deep dive into nutritional facts

January 5, 2026 •

2 min read

Many popular restaurant and take-out pizzas, including Lou Malnati's, can contain surprisingly high levels of sodium. Understanding how much sodium is in Lou Malnati's pizza is key for making informed dietary decisions, especially for those managing sodium intake.

Quick Summary

This article explores the sodium content across various Lou Malnati's pizzas and sizes, comparing deep dish, thin crust, and other menu items using official nutritional data.

Key Points

Deep Dish vs. Thin Crust: Lou Malnati's thin crust pizzas have significantly less sodium per serving than their deep dish counterparts.
Topping Impact: Processed meats like sausage in the Malnati Chicago Classic dramatically increase the sodium content compared to a cheese-only deep dish.
Portion Control is Key: Eating just two to three slices of deep dish pizza can put you over the recommended daily sodium limit.
Crustless Option: The Crustless pizza is not a low-sodium meal and still contains a substantial amount of sodium, primarily from the sausage base.
Hidden Sodium: Appetizers like the Three-Cheese Bread add significant sodium, with over 800mg per serving, so consider these contributions to your total intake.

Breaking Down Lou Malnati's Sodium by Pizza Type

While delicious, Chicago-style deep dish pizza is often higher in sodium than other styles due to its dense crust, generous cheese, and robust sausage or toppings. Lou Malnati's provides detailed nutritional information, which reveals the variation in sodium based on the pizza type and size. The key components contributing to the overall sodium load are the dough, cheese, sauce, and any processed meat toppings.

Deep Dish and Thin Crust Sodium Overview

Sodium content in Lou Malnati's deep dish pizzas varies by size and toppings, with options like the Malnati Chicago Classic™ containing more sodium per serving than a Cheese Deep Dish. Thin crust pizzas generally offer lower sodium per serving compared to deep dish options. The Crustless pizza also contains a notable amount of sodium. For detailed sodium breakdowns per pizza type, size, and topping, consult {Link: Lou Malnati's https://www.loumalnatis.com/carol-stream-wheaton}.

Comparison Table: Sodium in Lou Malnati's Pizzas (Selected Items, Per Serving)


Pizza Type	Size	Sodium (mg) per serving
Cheese Deep Dish	Personal (2 slices)	310
Cheese Deep Dish	Medium (6 slices)	440
Malnati Chicago Classic™	Medium (6 slices)	840
The "Lou" Deep Dish	Medium (6 slices)	490
Cheese Thin Crust	Medium	220
Crustless Pizza	Medium (6 slices)	570

Other Items

Other menu items, such as the Three-Cheese Bread, can also contribute significantly to sodium intake, containing 831mg of sodium per serving.

How to Reduce Sodium When Enjoying Lou Malnati's

Managing sodium intake while enjoying Lou Malnati's is possible. Strategies include choosing thin crust over deep dish, limiting processed meat toppings, being mindful of portion sizes, staying hydrated, and balancing a high-sodium meal with low-sodium choices throughout the day.

The Health Implications of High Sodium Intake

Excessive sodium consumption is linked to health issues like high blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems. The recommended daily sodium intake for adults is generally under 2,300 mg, which can be easily exceeded by consuming just a few slices of restaurant pizza.

Conclusion

Lou Malnati's pizza's sodium content varies based on type, size, and toppings. Deep dish pizzas, especially with meat, contain more sodium than thin crust options. While enjoying deep dish occasionally is fine, controlling portion size and choosing lower-sodium alternatives like thin crust or simpler toppings can help manage your intake. Consult the restaurant's official sources for the most current nutritional data.

Tips for a Healthier Pizza Experience

For a healthier experience, consider ordering thin crust over deep dish, adding more vegetable toppings, using sauces sparingly, rinsing canned vegetables, pairing with a salad, being mindful of portion size, and balancing with low-sodium home-cooked meals.

Frequently Asked Questions

The sodium in a slice of Lou Malnati's deep dish varies greatly depending on the type and size. For a Medium Cheese Deep Dish, a slice contains about 440mg of sodium, while a slice of the Medium Malnati Chicago Classic contains approximately 840mg.

Yes, Lou Malnati's thin crust pizzas have considerably less sodium per serving than their deep dish options. For example, a slice of a Medium Cheese Thin Crust has about 220mg of sodium, roughly half that of a similar-sized deep dish cheese slice.

Lou Malnati's 'Crustless' pizza is not a low-sodium choice. A medium serving contains 570mg of sodium, primarily from the sausage base and mozzarella cheese.

Restaurant pizza is often high in sodium due to the salt added to the crust, the cheese, the sauce, and particularly processed meat toppings like sausage and pepperoni.

According to the U.S. FDA, adults are generally advised to consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.

To reduce sodium, choose the thin crust, opt for a simpler pizza with fewer processed toppings, ask for light cheese, and control your portion size.

Yes, toppings have a significant effect. Processed meat toppings are especially high in sodium. A cheese-only pizza will have less sodium than one loaded with sausage or pepperoni.