Quick Answer
A queso burrito from Qdoba contains between 650-1200 calories on average, depending on size and fillings. A regular-sized queso burrito with chicken, rice, beans, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, and pico de gallo contains about 950-1100 calories.
Calories in Qdoba Queso Burritos
The number of calories in a Qdoba queso burrito can vary significantly based on the size and ingredients:
| Qdoba Queso Burrito | Calories |
|---|---|
| Small chicken queso burrito | 650-800 calories |
| Regular chicken queso burrito | 850-1050 calories |
| Large chicken queso burrito | 1050-1200 calories |
| Steak or barbacoa queso burrito (regular) | 950-1100 calories |
| Veggie queso burrito (regular) | 800-950 calories |
As you can see, a regular chicken queso burrito from Qdoba contains around 950-1100 calories. Steak or barbacoa adds a bit more, while veggie has slightly less. Size also impacts calories significantly, with small queso burritos containing 200-300 fewer calories than large.
Factors Affecting Queso Burrito Calories
Several factors influence the calorie content in a Qdoba queso burrito:
Protein
Chicken, steak, barbacoa, shrimp, and tofu are lean protein options that add 200-300 calories. More fatty proteins like chorizo or ground beef can add up to 500 calories.
Rice
White or cilantro lime rice adds around 200 calories per serving. Skip the rice to save calories.
Beans
Black or pinto beans add around 100 calories.
Cheese
The queso cheese sauce adds around 150 calories. Extra shredded cheese adds 50+ calories.
Sour Cream
Sour cream adds around 90 calories.
Guacamole
Guacamole adds around 230 calories.
Salsa
Salsa adds very minimal calories, around 10-20.
Lettuce
Lettuce is very low calorie, with around 10 calories per serving.
Pico de Gallo
Pico de gallo adds around 20 calories.
Tortilla
The flour tortilla shell accounts for around 300 calories. Larger burritos have larger tortillas.
Other Fillings
Ingredients like corn, peppers, onions, jalapeños, and other veggies add minimal calories. High-calorie sauces and dressings can add 100+ calories.
How to Reduce Calories in a Queso Burrito
Here are some tips to reduce the calories in a queso burrito from Qdoba:
– Choose a small or regular size instead of large
– Pick lean proteins like chicken, shrimp, or tofu instead of steak or chorizo
– Get a burrito bowl without the tortilla shell
– Leave off sour cream and guacamole
– Limit cheese to just the queso sauce
– Choose pico de gallo instead of guacamole
– Skip the rice and beans or only pick one
– Load up on veggies like lettuce, onions, peppers, tomatoes, etc.
– Ask for light queso sauce or get on the side
– Choose fresh tomato salsa instead of high-calorie creamy salsas
– Avoid tortilla chips, queso dip, and high-calorie drinks
Nutrition Facts for Qdoba Queso Burritos
In addition to calories, queso burritos also contain:
Carbs
Around 70-110g carbs, primarily from the rice, beans, and tortilla.
Protein
20-40g protein from ingredients like chicken, steak, shrimp, tofu.
Fat
Around 20-40g fat, including saturated fat from cheese, sour cream, rice, beans.
Sodium
Around 1500-2000mg sodium, mostly from queso, meats like chicken and steak.
Sugar
Around 5-10g sugar mainly from the tortilla, rice, beans, salsas.
Fiber
Around 10-15g fiber from the beans, rice, vegetables.
So in addition to being high in calories, queso burritos are also high in carbs, fat, and sodium. Loading up on veggies while limiting rice, tortilla, and high-fat toppings can help improve the nutrition profile.
Healthier Queso Burrito Options
If you want to enjoy a queso burrito but reduce the calories, here are some of the healthiest options at Qdoba:
– Burrito bowl with chicken, brown rice, black beans, fajita veggies, pico de gallo, lettuce
– Small veggie queso burrito with black beans, rice, fajita peppers, onions, guacamole, pico
– Chicken queso burrito with light queso, pinto beans, lettuce, fresh tomato salsa
– Steak queso burrito bowl with no rice or beans, double fajita veggies
– Shrimp queso burrito with cilantro lime rice, black beans, tomato salsa, lettuce
Choosing lean proteins, skipping extras like rice and sour cream, and loading up on veggies can help make a queso burrito a healthier option. But in general, a burrito bowl tends to be lower in calories than a burrito.
Conclusion
Qdoba queso burritos can contain anywhere from 650-1200 calories depending on the ingredients. A regular chicken queso burrito with common toppings provides around 950-1100 calories. Factors like protein, rice, beans, tortilla size, and high-fat toppings greatly influence the calories. Choosing healthier ingredients and avoiding extras can reduce a queso burrito’s calorie count. But in general, these burritos are high in calories, carbs, fat, and sodium. Going for a burrito bowl and loading up on veggies are some of the best ways to lighten it up.