Quick answer: A standard Moe's chicken burrito with rice and beans clocks in around 1,640mg of sodium . roughly 70% of the AHA's 2,300mg daily ceiling, in one meal. Swap the burrito for a bowl, skip the rice, go with tofu, and the same basic meal drops below 700mg.
Sodium is the thing nobody thinks about at Moe's until a doctor tells them to. It's not that any single ingredient is absurdly salted . it's that everything contributes a little, and "a little" from six or seven ingredients adds up to "a lot" faster than you'd guess. The flour tortilla alone is 480mg. Rice is another 420mg. At that point you're most of the way to a full day's budget and the protein hasn't even been added yet.
Here's the ingredient-by-ingredient breakdown, the builds that stay reasonable, and a couple of notes on where the real traps are.
Why sodium is worth paying attention to
The American Heart Association recommends most adults stay under 2,300mg a day, with a tighter target of 1,500mg for anyone with high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease or diabetes. A fully loaded Moe's burrito can hit 1,800–2,100mg on its own, which is the entire day . or the entire day and then some, if you're on the stricter target.
For reference, the average American already eats around 3,400mg a day according to CDC reporting. So a big Moe's meal on top of a normal day doesn't just put you over the limit, it puts you meaningfully over. Whether that's a problem depends on your health context, but it's worth knowing where the 1,500mg or 2,300mg line lives so you can decide how much room to leave for the rest of the day.
Sodium Content by Ingredient
Here's every Moe's component ranked by sodium contribution:
Very low sodium (under 50mg):
- Pico de Gallo: 20mg
- Lettuce: 10mg
- Jalapeños: 10mg
Low sodium (50–200mg):
- Tofu: 80mg
- Sour Cream: 120mg
- Queso: 160mg
Moderate sodium (200–350mg):
- Cheese: 220mg
- Chicken: 240mg
- Pork: 260mg
- Black Beans: 260mg
- Guacamole: 280mg
- Steak: 280mg
- Pinto Beans: 280mg
High sodium (350mg+):
- Ground Beef: 320mg
- Rice: 420mg
- Burrito Tortilla: 480mg
- Quesadilla Shell: 720mg
The quesadilla shell at 720mg is the single highest-sodium item on the menu. Add steak (280mg), rice (420mg), and cheese (220mg) to a quesadilla and you're at 1,640mg before a single sauce is added. That's the entire day's ideal sodium intake in one menu item.
The Sodium Champions: Worst vs Best Builds
Highest-sodium Moe's meal: Quesadilla + Steak + Rice + Pinto Beans + Cheese + Queso
- Sodium total: 720 + 280 + 420 + 280 + 220 + 160 = 2,080mg
Lowest-sodium Moe's meal: Bowl + Tofu + Black Beans + Pico + Lettuce + Jalapeños
- Sodium total: 0 + 80 + 260 + 20 + 10 + 10 = 380mg
That's a 1,700mg difference between the highest and lowest-sodium builds . achieved through ingredient selection alone, without portion control or menu modifications.
Building a Low-Sodium Moe's Meal
The sodium reduction playbook at Moe's follows a clear priority order:
1. Bowl base over everything else. The flour tortilla (480mg) and quesadilla shell (720mg) are your biggest single sodium sources. Switching to a bowl saves 480mg instantly.
2. Choose tofu or chicken over steak/beef. Tofu (80mg) vs steak (280mg) = 200mg savings. Vs ground beef (320mg) = 240mg savings. Chicken (240mg) vs quesadilla-level combinations saves even more.
3. Skip rice if sodium is critical. Rice contributes 420mg sodium . second only to the flour tortilla. For a low-sodium build, skip rice and get your carbs from beans (260–280mg, which includes protein and fiber at lower sodium density).
4. Moderate your cheese and skip queso. Cheese (220mg) and queso (160mg) together add 380mg. If you're building for low sodium, skip queso. Cheese provides 7g protein and calcium that might make it worth keeping at 220mg.
5. Load up on free low-sodium toppings. Pico (20mg), lettuce (10mg), jalapeños (10mg) . pile these on. They add flavor and volume for almost zero sodium.
Sodium-Conscious Build Examples
Under 700mg sodium: Bowl + Tofu + Black Beans + Pico + Lettuce + Jalapeños
→ 380mg sodium, 370 calories, 25g protein
Under 900mg sodium: Bowl + Chicken + Black Beans + Pico + Jalapeños
→ ~520mg sodium, 460 calories, 46g protein
Under 1,100mg sodium: Bowl + Chicken + Rice + Black Beans + Pico
→ ~1,140mg sodium . this one actually just creeps over. Skip the rice to get under 1,000mg.
Under 1,000mg sodium (with rice): Bowl + Tofu + Rice + Black Beans + Pico
→ Rice adds 420 + Tofu 80 + Black Beans 260 + Pico 20 = 780mg sodium, 580 calories, 27g protein
Use our Moe's sodium calculator to test any combination before ordering.
About the salsa bar
The salsas, dressings and condiments on the Moe's salsa bar aren't in the calculator on this site . they vary by location, portions are self-served, and there's no way to give consistent numbers. The general rule is that vinegar-based and fresh salsas (verde, pico-style tomato) tend to run low on sodium, while the creamier dressings and chipotle-based sauces run higher. If you're specifically managing sodium for health reasons, it's worth asking the staff for the salsa data sheet or pulling the numbers from Moe's own nutrition PDF. For most people, a tablespoon or two of a fresh salsa isn't enough to move the needle.
Sodium and Health Context
High blood pressure: The DASH diet recommends under 2,300mg/day, or 1,500mg/day for greater effect. A low-sodium Moe's build (under 700mg) fits comfortably into both targets, even accounting for a 200–400mg breakfast and dinner.
Kidney disease: Lower sodium targets (under 1,500mg or even 1,000mg/day) are common for people with chronic kidney disease. A carefully built Moe's bowl is achievable within these ranges.
Heart health generally: Both the AHA and American College of Cardiology land on 2,300mg/day as a general target for most adults. The low-sodium builds above fit comfortably inside that, even if the rest of your day isn't particularly low-sodium. The calculator will show you sodium alongside every other macro when you plug a build in . useful if you're trying to keep an eye on both at once.
For the broader context on how we source and calculate every number, see about the site.