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Loco Moco is the ultimate Hawaiian comfort food that is as delicious to eat as it is fun to say! Juicy hamburger patties, rich beef gravy, fluffy rice, and a perfectly runny egg come together to create a dish that’s hearty, savory, and downright irresistible.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“ I love this!!! Now, I can have a piece of Hawaii at home! The gravy is so rich & tasty & together, it’s a delicious meal!” – Kristyn
“Enjoyed this for breakfast this morning and started my day off right! Easy, hearty and delicious; my kind of comfort food, indeed!” – Sara
Bringing a Taste of Hawaii Back to the States
I was first introduced to Loco Moco when I lived in Hawaii and it became an instant favorite. How could it not be? It was all foods I already loved, but all stacked together in a bowl. It tastes exactly how you might imagine. Savory (dare I say “umami”), creamy, and oh so delicious! Now that I’m back on the mainland, it’s not something I can just grab at a restaurant, so this homemade version has become my go-to whenever the cravings hit.
And if you’re like me and need a little sweet to balance all that savory, pair it with a slice of rich Chocolate Haupia Pie or some refreshing Hawaiian Guava Cake. Paradise on a plate!
🩷 Erica
What is Loco Moco?
Traditional Loco Moco starts with a simple base of white rice, then gets topped with a hamburger patty, brown gravy, and a sunny-side-up egg on top. It’s comfort food at its finest and a true Hawaiian favorite. You’ll find it on menus all across Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, and the Big Island, served morning, noon, and night. Believe it or not, this dish actually got its start back in 1949, when a group of hungry teenagers in Hilo asked a local diner for something cheap, filling, and different from a sandwich. The result? Loco Moco was born – and it’s been winning hearts (and appetites) ever since.
Key Ingredients
- Calrose rice – Calrose is the classic short-grain Hawaiian rice. It’s slightly sticky, making it perfect for soaking up the rich gravy. If you can’t find it, sushi rice or another short-grain white rice works well.
- Ground beef – Use 80/20 ground beef for the best flavor and a juicy patty. Leaner beef works, but the patties may be a bit drier.
- Eggs – Sunny-side up is traditional, but cook them however you like – over-easy, fried, or even scrambled if that’s your preference.
- Mushrooms – Button mushrooms are classic, but cremini or shiitake give a deeper, earthier flavor.
- Vegetable oil – Use any neutral oil (canola or avocado oil also work).
- Soy sauce – Use low-sodium soy sauce if you prefer to control the saltiness.
How to Make Loco Moco
- Make the rice: Begin by cooking rice, this is your base. Two cups makes two servings.
- Make the beef patties. Form the meat into two flat patties, like flat hamburgers, and sprinkle each side with salt. Oil a large skillet and cook the patties to desired ‘doneness’. You want a nice crust on there. Try to only flip them once. When they are done, remove from the pan and cover the patties in foil to keep them warm.
- Sauté the onions and mushrooms. In the same pan (you don’t need to wipe it off, you want the meaty bits) add vegetable oil, although if there is enough oil left from the beef to sauté, you don’t need to add additional oil. Add sliced onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onions become slightly soft. Add mushrooms and sauté all together for another few minutes. Add soy sauce and continue sautéing until mushrooms become golden brown and onions are soft.
- Make the gravy. In the same skillet, add beef broth and soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Combine water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Add a little at a time to the broth while whisking constantly until you reach your desired gravy thickness. Add more broth to thin and more slurry to thicken. Add black pepper to taste. Reduce to warm and stir often until ready to serve.
- Cook the eggs. In a separate, non-stick skillet, cook two sunny side up eggs. How you cook the eggs is a personal preference, but for a traditional loco moco, you want to have a runny egg yolk.
- Assemble. Start with rice on the bottom, then add your patties, next is a nice spoon of gravy, and finally your egg.
Recipe Tips
Use leftovers: This is such an easy dish to make with leftovers. We almost always have leftover rice in our fridge. Leftover burgers from your last BBQ also work great for this meal!
Try it with Spam: Swap out the burger for some pan-fried Spam! This is a popular variation that is common in a lot of restaurants in Hawaii and it is SO good! If you are making it for breakfast, you can also substitute bacon or sausage patties for the ground beef patty.
How do you like your eggs? I like using sunny-side-up eggs on my loco moco because I love the creaminess the yolk adds to the dish, plus it is the traditional choice. However, you can fry up your eggs any way you like! Use our easy fried egg guide to help you get the perfect egg for your loco moco.
Make it Low Carb: Use cauliflower rice to make this a very low-carb, high-protein dish.
Bulk up your Loco Moco: Add sides like Hawaiian Macaroni Salad or potato salad to add more fun flavor and to round out the meal. Although this changes the loco moco into being ‘non-traditional’ I think it makes this Hawaiian dish even more delicious!
Frequently Asked Questions
According to Hawaiian native, Lono Dickson of Kalani Packaging, the name came from a group of teenagers in the town of Hilo on the big island of Hawaii in 1949. They requested a dish at a local restaurant that was inexpensive, as well as quick and easy to serve. They were served a bowl of rice topped with a hamburger patty and brown gravy. The name loco came from a nickname give to one of the boys in the group, and moco was added because it rhymed. The name stuck and the dish has become a local favorite!
Yes – pan-fried Spam, chicken patties, or even turkey burgers are popular variations in Hawaii.
Whisk a little more cornstarch with water and slowly add it in while the gravy is simmering until you reach your desired consistency.
More Hawaiian Recipes
We love Hawaiian food, but who doesn’t? Enjoy more of our Hawaiian favorites, from savory to sweet! See what foods the Islands have waiting for you!
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Spam Musubi
Chicken Long Rice
Pani Popo
Shoyu Chicken
Chocolate Haupia Pie
Bring the taste of the islands right to your kitchen with this comforting Hawaiian classic. Whether you enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, Loco Moco is hearty, satisfying, and full of flavor. If you give it a try, don’t forget to leave a ⭐️ rating and comment to let me know how it turned out! 🌺🍳
Loco Moco Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked Calrose rice
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste)
- 2 eggs
- chopped green onion (for garnish)
For the Loco Moco Gravy
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce (divided)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, cook the rice according to package directions. You will need 2 cups of cooked rice for this recipe for 2 servings. Keep warm until ready to use.
- Form the meat into 2 flat patties, like a very thin hamburger. Sprinkle each side of the patty generously with ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste.
- Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and cook patties over medium-high heat to desired doneness. You want to have a nice, browned outer "crust" on the meat before flipping. Try to only flip once. When cooked, remove the patties from the pan and wrap in foil to keep warm.
- In the same pan (you don't need to wipe it off, keep those browned bits for the gravy) add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. If there are enough drippings from the beef to sauté, you don't need to add additional oil. Add sliced onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onions become slightly soft. Add mushrooms and sauté all together for another few minutes. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and continue sautéing until mushrooms become golden brown and onions are soft. Add more soy sauce if needed for flavor.
- Add 2 cups beef broth and 4 tablespoons soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Combine water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Add a little at a time to the broth while whisking constantly until you reach your desired gravy thickness. Add more broth to thin and more slurry to thicken. Add black pepper to taste. Reduce to warm and stir often until ready to serve.
- In a separate small, non-stick skillet. Cook eggs to sunny-side-up or over easy.
- Now it's time to assemble the loco loco! Separate the cooked rice into 2 bowls. Add the burger patty to the rice and pour gravy over the top, to taste. Top with an egg and garnish with green onion and black pepper. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Rice: Loco Moco traditionally uses Calrose or medium-grain white rice because it’s slightly sticky and holds up well under the gravy. Freshly cooked is great, but day-old rice works too.
- Egg Style: The classic version uses a sunny-side-up egg, but you can cook the eggs however you like (over-easy, poached, scrambled, etc.).
- Burger Patties: Don’t overwork the ground beef when forming patties or they can turn out tough. A light touch will keep them juicy.
- Gravy Thickness: If the gravy feels too thick, add a splash of beef broth. If it’s too thin, whisk a little more cornstarch slurry into the pan.
- Mushrooms (Optional): Not all traditional Loco Moco recipes use mushrooms, so if you’re not a fan, feel free to leave them out.
I’ll admit to not fully following the recipe, but it turned out so good, will be keeping this as a skeleton for future times making this.
I seasoned my meat patties, and spent more time on the gravy, which lead to a more rich and intense flavour
I’m so glad you like the recipe. I’d love to hear your full recipe!
I love this!!! Now, I can have a piece of Hawaii at home! The gravy is so rich & tasty & together, it’s a delicious meal!
Enjoyed this for breakfast this morning and started my day off right! Easy, hearty and delicious; my kind of comfort food, indeed!