The Only Resource You Need

This guide was created for one reason: figuring out how many calories are in 1 slice of pizza is really confusing.

When you take to the internet for answers, it is all over the place. Does your pizza slice contain 200 calories or 500 calories? How do you know if the number you found pertains to the size of the pizza you got? What about different types of pizza?

And most important, how can you even trust these nutrition facts you come across? Most of the time they are just blindly guessed with little data to back it up.

That’s why I’m here. This is your definitive guide for pizza slice calories.

I’ve gathered nutritional information from as many official sources as I could find to calculate the averages, so you’ll have a very accurate estimate of 1 pizza slice calories and nutrition facts.

And don’t worry, the idea of this guide is not to scare you away from eating pizza. Pizza may just be my favorite food on the planet, and I believe it has a place in any diet regardless of calorie content.

How To Use This Guide

Every single pizza is going to be a slightly different size, made with slightly different ingredients, and cut into slices that aren’t exactly uniform.

So, how in the world can you possibly know how many calories are in your slice of pizza?

We’re going to be estimating the calories in pizza, but we’re going to use a trusted method.

The number of calories is never going to be perfectly accurate even if you get the nutrition facts directly from the restaurant since there are so many variables at play when it comes to pizza.

For this guide, I have found restaurants that list their nutritional information online for their pizza, and used those to find the averages. Whenever I need to estimate calories, I rely on averages from trusted sources, and it has never steered me wrong.

While estimating will never give you a perfect calorie count, it’s called estimating for a reason. At least we can rest easy knowing we are not way off base!

As we go through this guide, here are a few notes to keep in mind:

1. A standard pizza is your typical chain-restaurant pizza cut into 8 slices. The slice is based on a large pizza, roughly 14 inches in diameter, which is the most common pizza size ordered as takeout. If you order a medium or small pizza, the numbers will vary a tiny bit.
2. I’ve included NY-style pizza slices in this guide as well because as someone who grew up in NY, I am well aware that the slices are much larger than what you’d typically order from Domino’s. A large NY slice is based on an XL pizza, typically 18 inches.
3. All the calories listed are for cheese pizza, but don’t worry, I’ve included calorie counts for popular pizza toppings in this guide as well. So if you’ve come to this guide looking for pepperoni pizza slice calories, you’ll be able to easily figure it out.
4. Along with calories, I’ll also be listing the grams of protein, grams of fat, and grams of carbohydrates. I won’t be diving into things like saturated fat, trans fat, or sodium content.

Most importantly: don’t overthink it.

I did all of the research here so you don’t have to! Use this guide to find a close estimate for your slice of pizza and trust that you’ll be in the ballpark.

Calories in Standard Slice of Pizza

First up, let’s explore how many calories are in a standard slice of cheese pizza.

In this case, we’re defining standard pizza as a large 14-inch pizza cut into 8 slices. If you order pizza for takeout, this is typically what you’ll be getting.

Here’s how it breaks down…

Since most major pizza chains (like Pizza Hut and Domino’s) offer their standard crust and a thin crust option, I decided to factor both of these into these averages.

There’s not much differentiating a thin crust pizza and a standard crust, so if a restaurant doesn’t offer the option to choose, there’s a strong chance your pizza falls somewhere between the two.

So, for the most accurate estimate, we’ve included both types here.

Remember that this is just the average, but it will give us the best estimate for the calories in one slice of pizza.

Calories in a pizza slice typically range anywhere from 200 to 290 calories, so our 250-calorie estimate is a very safe bet.

If you’re ordering a slice of pizza that is very large, like Costco pizza, that will obviously be an outlier. A Costco pizza calories come in at over 500 because it is such a big slice, so if your single pizza slice is gigantic, you’ll likely need to double the estimated calories.

Calories in Large NY-Style Slice of Pizza

If you live on the east coast, you know very well that ordering a slice of pizza usually means that you’re ordering a big slice of pizza.

In much of the country, ordering pizza by the slice is not an option, so you’re simply eating a slice out of a pizza pie.

But if you live in or around New York City, pizza by the slice is a daily ritual. And those slices are large (and absolutely amazing).

I grew up in New York, and I miss the pizza more than anything.

When you order a slice of NY-style pizza (or Brooklyn-style, which is very comparable) you’re getting a slice of pizza from an XL pizza pie, typically around 18 inches. The pizza crust is a thin crust that’s easily foldable, and a single slice is typically more than enough to make up a meal.

Here’s how the calories of New York pizza shake out…

Unfortunately, the nutrition facts for most of the best slices in New York City are not publicly available, so we have to look elsewhere for our nutrition facts.

But don’t worry, there are still plenty of sources available for us to get a good idea of the calories in a slice.

When it comes to New York pizza, the size of the slice can vary a bit more than a standard pizza pie, but you’ll typically see a NY-style slice landing between 300-400 calories.

Calories in Different Styles of Pizza

If you want to switch things up and order different types of pizzas, the calories are obviously going to change quite a bit.

There are countless styles of pizza available to order, so I won’t be able to touch upon them all. For example, there’s Roman-style pizza, Greek-style pizza, California-style pizza, and so many others.

For the purposes of this guide, we’re going to look at 4 different unique styles: small personal pan pizzas, Detroit-style pizza, Chicago-style deep dish, and Neapolitan pizza.

Here’s an infographic to give you an overview, and I’ll break each style of pizza down in a bit more detail below.

Personal Pizza Calories

One of my favorite quotes of all time is, “any pizza can be a personal pizza if you’re hungry enough.”

I saw it on a sticker once, so I have no idea where it comes from, but I agree with it 100%.

But in this case, we’re referring to a small personal pan pizza that’s roughly 6-8″. Pizza Hut is known for their personal pan pizza, so if you’re craving a tiny pizza, I recommend heading over there.

A small personal pizza is going to contain fewer calories than a regular because it’s very small, and the pizza will generally be cut into 4 slices.

I pulled the nutrition facts from three separate restaurants to get the nutritional value for 1 slice of pizza in a personal pan pizza: Pizza Hut, Johnny’s Pizza House, and Pie Five Pizza.

Detroit-Style Pizza Calories

If you want to switch things up from a traditional thin-crust pizza, a Detroit-style pizza is one of the best ways to do it.

On the surface, it may seem like an odd pizza with tomato sauce on top of the cheese, but the beauty of a Detroit pizza is in the crispy edges. By covering the pizza with mozzarella cheese and baking it in a pan, the edges get super crispy.

Detroit-style pizza is similar to Sicilian pizza, but the crispy edges from the mozzarella bring it to a whole new level.

I love NY pizza as much as anyone, but there’s nothing quite like a delicious slice of Detroit pizza. If you’ve never experienced it, you can easily make your own at home and I cannot recommend it enough.

The exact size of a Detroit-style pizza can vary, but I was able to get accurate calorie counts from Jet’s Pizza, Buddy’s Pizza, and Pizza Hut.

Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza Calories

I’ll be honest, I always thought I disliked Chicago deep dish pizza because it just seemed like way too much bread. It wasn’t until I traveled to Chicago and got a true deep dish pizza that I learned the true beauty of it.

Chicago deep dish has a thick and buttery crust that rises up the sides of a deep, round pan, creating a deep dish to hold the pizza sauce, mozzarella, and often times lean meat.

The crust is typically crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, providing a really satisfying texture. Much like Detroit-style, this pizza is assembled in reverse order, with the cheese placed at the bottom followed by the toppings such as Italian sausage, pepperoni, vegetables, and a chunky tomato sauce on top.

When it’s done right, it isn’t too bready at all. It all comes together perfectly.

Now, because it is a large crust that can hold a lot of extra cheese (and other toppings), it may not be the most appealing option if you’re trying to keep your calorie intake low.

To get an accurate sense of the calories in Chicago deep dish, I stuck with three Chicago staples: Uno, Lou Malnati’s, and Giordano’s.

Neapolitan Pizza Calories

When I make homemade pizza, my go-to is always a Neapolitan pizza.

To put a Neapolitan pizza in the simplest terms possible, it’s a smaller pizza, generally 10-12″ in diameter, that is pretty thin with a larger charred crust around the outside.

It’s most often served as margherita pizza using fresh and often healthier ingredients. If you travel to Italy and order pizza, you’ll likely be face-to-face with a Neapolitan pizza (unless you’re in Rome, that is).

In other words, it’s the pizza that looks the fanciest, and when it’s done right, it is truly delicious.

Hunting down the calorie count for Neapolitan-style pizza is more difficult than the other styles of pizza because large pizza chains don’t offer this style, but I was able to find reputable nutritional info from Famoso, Bertucci’s, and Grimaldi’s.

Pictured below is my own homemade Neapolitan pizza, which is why you see 4 slices, but you’ll generally find this type of pizza cut into 6 portions.

Pizza Topping Calories

Personally, I love plain cheese pizza with a little bit of olive oil and garlic as my “toppings,” but I fully understand that’s boring to a lot of people.

If you want to get fancy, here’s a graphic breaking down the calories for popular pizza toppings.

Now, it’s impossible to list every single pizza topping here, because they can get really out-of-the-box sometimes. The perfect example: one of my favorite pizzas of all time is baked ziti pizza. Don’t knock it ’till you try it!

I used Papa John’s and Domino’s as my references for which pizza toppings to choose, then used the nutrition facts of the two restaurants to list the averages below.

These calories and nutrition facts assume you are ordering a large pizza. When it comes to different styles of pizza, the serving size can vary quite a lot. For example, if you order a deep-dish pizza, you’ll end up getting a lot more pepperoni than you will with a thin-crust pizza.

But this is all in the name of estimating, so this should give us a good enough idea!

It may seem odd to see black olives and chorizo containing the same amount of calories, but it’s strictly based on serving sizes.

Of course, you won’t always get the same amount of each topping, so take each of these with a grain of salt. And if you’re ordering a slice of pizza in NYC, you’ll probably need to multiply each topping by 5 to truly reflect the generosity of the toppings.

Either way, these estimates should give you a great starting point.

Can Pizza Actually Be Healthy?

Pizza, the heavenly delight that causes mouths to water and diets to crumble. Often classified as a ‘cheat meal’ by fitness enthusiasts, pizza gets a bad rap for being a high-calorie food. But can pizza actually be healthy?

If you’ve ever come across my content before, the answer here will not surprise you.

Yes, pizza can be a part of a healthy diet, but, as with most things in life, it’s all about moderation and making smart choices.

As we’ve seen in this guide, the nutritional profile of pizza varies greatly depending on the size, crust type, topping choices, and quantity consumed. For example, a thin-crust vegetable pizza contains fewer calories and a wider range of nutrients than a meat lover’s deep-dish pizza loaded with extra cheese.

You likely came here looking for the calories of a single slice of pizza, so saying to be mindful of the quantity you consume would be a waste of your time. Instead, here are a few quick tips to make your pizza night a tiny bit healthier:

Go Light on Cheese: Cheese is a significant source of saturated fat and calories in pizza. Simply asking for less cheese or choosing part-skim mozzarella for your own homemade pizza, can save you a considerable amount of calories and fat.

Load Up on Veggies: Veggie toppings not only lower the caloric density of your pizza but also add essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Bell peppers, onions, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, and tomatoes are all great choices.

Choose Lean Meats: Skip the high-fat, processed meats like pepperoni or sausage if you’re concerned about the caloric impact. Instead, opt for grilled chicken, turkey, or even seafood for a good source of protein to add to your delicious pizza.

Go For Thin Crust: As you’ve seen in this guide, a thin crust pizza is going to contain fewer calories than the other options. If more nutrients and/or fiber is the goal, you can even go for a whole wheat crust.

The idea here isn’t to demonize pizza, but to highlight that smart modifications can transform it from a guilty pleasure to a balanced meal next time you place an order.

So go ahead, enjoy your pizza, but make it work for your health, not against it. Remember, a well-balanced diet is all about variety, moderation, and smart choices.