Qdoba Mexican Eats is a popular fast-casual restaurant chain that serves Mexican-inspired cuisine. One of their most popular menu items is their bowls, which allow customers to customize their meal by choosing a base, protein, and toppings. So what exactly comes in a Qdoba bowl? Here is a comprehensive look at what’s included.
Qdoba Bowl Basics
A Qdoba bowl starts with choosing one of three base options:
- Rice – Cilantro-lime rice or brown rice
- Beans – Black or pinto beans
- Lettuce – Romaine or 3-cheese blend lettuce
Next, you select a protein to add to your bowl:
- Chicken – Grilled adobo chicken or shredded chicken tinga
- Steak – Ancho chile marinated steak or grilled prime steak
- Carnitas – Slow-roasted pork
- Barbacoa – Shredded beef brisket
- Sofritas – Organic tofu sofritas
- Vegetarian – Black beans or pinto beans as a protein substitute
After picking your base and protein, you move on to topping selections. Qdoba offers a wide variety of toppings you can add to customize your bowl:
- Cheese – Queso blanco, queso quesadilla, shredded jack cheese
- Salsa – Mild salsa, medium salsa, hot salsa, corn salsa, salsa verde
- Sour cream
- Lettuce – Romaine or 3-cheese blend
- Fajita veggies – Grilled onions and bell peppers
- Guacamole
- Pico de gallo
- Jalapeños
- Roasted chili-corn
- Black beans or pinto beans
- Cilantro-lime rice or brown rice
- Lime wedge
Most Qdoba locations allow you to add as many toppings as you want at no extra charge. The only exceptions are guacamole and queso, which cost extra.
Signature Queso Options
In addition to regular queso blanco and queso quesadilla, Qdoba offers some signature queso options. These include:
- Queso Diablo – Queso blanco mixed with roasted red chile pepper sauce
- Queso Verde – Tomatillo-based queso
- Queso Rojo – Queso mixed with ancho chile sauce
The signature queso options come at an additional charge if added to your bowl.
3-Cheese Blend Lettuce
One of the base options for Qdoba bowls is their 3-cheese blend lettuce. This lettuce contains a mix of:
- Romaine lettuce
- Parmesan cheese
- Crumbled bleu cheese
- Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
The combination of crisp lettuce and creamy cheeses makes this a popular base choice.
Meat Options
In addition to the proteins listed above, some Qdoba locations offer these meat add-ons:
- Chorizo
- Bacon
- Crispy beef
These extras come at an additional charge if added to a bowl.
Vegan and Vegetarian Options
Qdoba offers several vegetarian and vegan options for building plant-based bowls:
- Sofritas – Organic tofu sofritas seasoned with spices
- Black beans or pinto beans as a protein
- Fajita veggies
- Rice
- Lettuce
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Roasted chili-corn
Just request any meat items be left off and avoid cheese, sour cream, and pico de gallo to keep your bowl vegan.
Kid’s Meal Bowls
Qdoba offers simplified kid’s meal bowls with these standard ingredients:
- Cilantro-lime rice
- Black or pinto beans
- Cheese
- Lettuce
Protein options include chicken, steak, ground beef, or sofritas. Kids meals come in smaller portions than regular bowls.
Ordering Tips
Here are some useful tips when ordering a Qdoba bowl:
- Feel free to customize your bowl with extra toppings at no cost.
- Ask for a sample of new salsas or quesos to try before adding them.
- Order corn tortilla strips on the side to crush up and add crunch.
- Get extra lime wedges to squeeze over your bowl.
- For extra protein, order meat on the side in a cup.
- Need less rice or lettuce? Ask for light or half portions.
- Have food allergies? Check the allergen menu and speak to a manager.
Nutrition Information
Qdoba provides detailed nutrition information for all menu items online. Here are some approximate calorie counts for popular bowl combinations without extras:
| Bowl | Calories |
|---|---|
| Chicken bowl with rice, lettuce, cheese, mild salsa | 670 |
| Steak bowl with rice, beans, fajita veggies, guacamole | 810 |
| Carnitas bowl with lettuce, pinto beans, salsa | 600 |
| Sofritas bowl with rice, cheese, romaine lettuce, guacamole | 760 |
As you can see, a Qdoba bowl contains a good amount of food. Adding extras like meats, guacamole, and queso will increase the calories. Those watching their calorie intake can build lower-calorie bowls by limiting high-calorie add-ons.
Price Information
Pricing for Qdoba bowls depends on location, ingredients chosen, and any current promotions. Here are some average bowl prices:
- Bowl with standard protein, rice or lettuce base: $7-$9
- Bowl with guacamole or queso: $9-$11
- Bowl with premium protein like steak: $10-$12
- Kid’s sized bowl: $5
Qdoba frequently offers discounts like daily specials, meal deals with drinks, and promotional pricing through their app rewards program. Signing up for Qdoba rewards can help you save money on bowls and other menu items.
Comparison to Other Bowls
Qdoba’s customizable bowls are similar to other Mexican-inspired bowls like:
- Chipotle bowls – Nearly identical ingredients and build-your-own style.
- Moe’s Southwest Grill bowls – Also allow mixing and matching ingredients but with Southwest flavor.
- Freebirds burrito bowls – Burrito fillings over rice, lettuce, or both.
However, Qdoba offers some unique elements like queso options, 3-cheese blend lettuce, and ancho chile steak. Their broad range of Mexican flavors gives them an edge over bowl chains with narrower focus like Bibibop (Asian) and Cava (Mediterranean).
Conclusion
With a choice of base, protein, and unlimited toppings, Qdoba bowls allow you to create a customized Mexican meal. Standard bowls come with a base of rice, beans, or lettuce along with your choice of meat or vegetables. You can then pile on extras like salsa, cheese, veggies, and guacamole to suit your tastes. Qdoba’s flavorful proteins, signature quesos, and southwestern-inspired ingredients make their bowls stand out from competitors. Just be aware that additions like steak, guacamole, and queso will raise the calorie and price count. Overall, Qdoba bowls provide a tasty, convenient meal that you can tailor to your preferences.