Noodles & Company under 500 calories: 14 orders, ranked
Of the 43 single orders we track at Noodles & Company, 14 come in at or under 500 calories — 33%. The most protein in one item under 500 is the Mediterranean Chicken Salad, 36 g for 430 calories; the most filling by protein and fiber per calorie is the Chicken Noodle Soup (Side) (13 g protein, 1 g fiber, 120 cal). 7 entrées fit under 500; 28 do not.
Source: Noodles & Company nutrition guide (official), August 2026 edition · Data refreshed
- 14 orders under 500
- 36g most protein in one item
- 36g protein in a full meal
- 28 entrées over 500
As of October 2026, 14 of the 43 Noodles & Company single orders we track come in at or under 500 calories, and the most protein in a complete Noodles & Company meal under 500 is 36 g (A Mediterranean Chicken Salad and a water).
Three complete Noodles & Company meals under 500 calories
Under 500, the most-protein meal is built on the Mediterranean Chicken Salad (430 cal), which leaves 70 calories for its sides and drink. One meal-sized entrée, up to two different sides and a drink — the MinMax app's meal and the best under the cap, drink included (water only where no published drink fits; the lightest meal takes a zero-calorie drink, or water). The lightest meal is unchanged from under 400; the others use the extra 100 calories.
Most protein
- Mediterranean Chicken Salad430 cal · 36g
- Water0 cal
430 of 500 cal · 36 g protein
What to say at the counter: “A Mediterranean Chicken Salad and a water — 430 cal, 36 g protein.”
Get it at the nearest Noodles & Company →Most filling
- Mediterranean Chicken Salad430 cal · 36g
- Water0 cal
430 of 500 cal · 36 g protein
What to say at the counter: “A Mediterranean Chicken Salad and a water — 430 cal, 36 g protein.”
Get it at the nearest Noodles & Company →Lightest
- Japanese Pan Noodles (Small)320 cal · 10g
- Water0 cal
320 of 500 cal · 10 g protein
What to say at the counter: “A small Japanese Pan Noodles and a water — 320 cal, 10 g protein.”
Get it at the nearest Noodles & Company →Build your own Noodles & Company order under 500 calories → Swap any item, add a side, share the link.
Every Noodles & Company order under 500 calories, ranked by protein
Single orders only — no desserts, kids' meals, combos, sauces or toppings — by grams of protein, then calories. The median order under 500 is 325 calories and 7 of the 14 are entrées. Figures as Noodles & Company published them, rounded to whole numbers (how we check them).
| # | Item | Calories | Protein | Protein / 100 cal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mediterranean Chicken Salad | 430 | 36g | 8.4g |
| 2 | Chicken Noodle Soup | 360 | 30g | 8.3g |
| 3 | Roasted Garlic Cream Tortelloni (Small) | 380 | 18g | 4.7g |
| 4 | Korean BBQ Meatballs | 440 | 16g | 3.6g |
| 5 | Potstickers with Dipping Sauce | 330 | 14g | 4.2g |
| 6 | Chicken Noodle Soup (Side) | 120 | 13g | 10.8g |
| 7 | Basil Pesto Cavatappi (Small) | 420 | 12g | 2.9g |
| 8 | Creamy Cheddar Mac & Cheese (Side) | 260 | 11g | 4.2g |
| 9 | Buttery Parmesan Noodles (Small) | 370 | 11g | 3.0g |
| 10 | Japanese Pan Noodles (Small) | 320 | 10g | 3.1g |
| 11 | Pasta Fresca (Small) | 320 | 10g | 3.1g |
| 12 | Caesar Salad (Side) | 230 | 4g | 1.7g |
| 13 | Lemon Parmesan Broccoli | 140 | 3g | 2.1g |
| 14 | Garden Salad | 70 | 1g | 1.4g |
What 500 calories buys at Noodles & Company
Going from 400 to 500 calories adds 3 orders: Basil Pesto Cavatappi (Small) (420), Mediterranean Chicken Salad (430) and Korean BBQ Meatballs (440).
What doesn't fit under 500
28 of 35 Noodles & Company entrées are over 500 calories; the lightest of them, the Creamy Cheddar Mac & Cheese (Small), misses by 20 calories at 520. With more room, see Noodles & Company under 600. Tighter budget: Noodles & Company under 400. Closest misses: Creamy Cheddar Mac & Cheese (Small) (520), Pad Thai (Small) (520), Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi (Small) (550), Rigatoni Rosa with Parmesan Chicken (Small) (550) and Spicy Korean Steak Noodles (Small) (550).
Eat at Noodles & Company without blowing your cap
MinMax finds the best Noodles & Company meal under your calorie goal — at the location nearest you — and lets you swap items to hit your protein. Free on iPhone.
Download MinMax — free What the app doesMore at Noodles & Company
- Noodles & Company calories & nutrition (60 items listed)
- Noodles & Company under 400 calories (11 orders)
- Noodles & Company under 600 calories (20 orders)
- Noodles & Company calorie calculator (build an order under your cap)
Under 500 calories at other chains
The same cap at 3 other chains, or the cross-chain pillar: fast food under 500 calories.