Name: How To Make Hawaiian Loco Moco Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 lb Ground Beef; 1 tsp Garlic Powder; 1 tsp Onion Powder; 1 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Pepper; 1 small Egg; 1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke; 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce; 1 tbsp Breadcrumbs; 1 tsp Oil; 1 tbsp Garlic; 1/2 cup Onion (thinly sliced); 1/2 cup Mushrooms; 2 tbsp Flour; 2 tbsp Butter (salted); 1 cup Water (plus 1/2 cup if needed); 2 tsp Soy Sauce; 1 tsp Beef Bouillon; 2 tsp Browning Seasoning Sauce; Salt (to taste); Pepper (to taste); 2 tbsp Green Onion; 1.5 cups Rice (short grain or jasmine ); 2-4 Sunny Side Up Eggs

Get a taste of traditional Hawaiian food and learn how to Make Hawaiian Loco Moco Recipe!

This comfort dish is made with love starting with a bed of sticky rice topped with a hamburger, topped with gravy and a runny egg.

If you like this recipe, you will love Spam Loco Moco!

Loco Moco Recipe in a white shallow bowl. A mound of rice in an oval/circular shape is topped with brown gravy, hamburger patty and topped with a sunny side up egg. Dish is topped with chopped green onions and in the background out of focus are two wooden bowls stacked with extra white rice (on the left) and on the right images of dark pink flowers. — Loco Moco Recipe

WHAT IS LOCO MOCO?

Loco Moco is a traditional Hawaiian dish. There are several variations such as Spam Loco Moco, but the original consists of white rice topped with a hamburger, brown gravy and a fried egg.

Loco Moco can be paired with various toppings such as shrimp, sausage, bacon, tofu, teriyaki beef and chicken and other meats.

THE HISTORY OF LOCO MOCO

Created in the 1940's, this local dish was said to have started from diners who requested a dish they could afford. Either at Cafe 100 or the Lincoln Grill in Hilo, Hawaii, is where the first dish was created and prepared.

To learn more about Loco Moco and its history, click here!

Loco Moco Recipe in a white shallow bowl with top down angle viewing the image from "above". Dark pink flowers and a wooden bowl with chopped green onions added for styling purposes. — Loco Moco Recipe

WHAT DOES LOCO MOCO TASTE LIKE?

The thick juicy beef burger patty is the star of this show. In a lot of traditional dishes, steak and gravy is served so expect flavors similar to that if you have had that combination.

There are some additional flavors added to this recipe such as soy sauce and browning seasoning sauce to really make the dish quite rich.

The addition of the runny egg sets this dish a part and allows for a massive flavor train of hearty beefy goodness.

WHAT RICE PAIRS BEST WITH THIS DISH?

Traditionally, sticky white rice is prepared with this dish. In this recipe, short grain rice is used and prepared in a method where the water cooks out, forming a sticky consistency. The rice is then the perfect consistency to hold with the rich onion, mushroom and beef gravy.

If you have short or medium grain rice, that will work best but any rice of your choice is fine too!

INGREDIENTS FOR RECIPE

As mentioned, this recipe rings true to traditional style foods. With that said, you will need simple, staple household ingredients. Here is what you will need:

Loco Moco recipe ingredients in various sized clear and white bowls. Ground beef is in the center in a clear bowl, small white bowls filled with seasoning blend, egg, Worcestershire, liquid smoke and breadcrumbs. — Loco Moco Recipe Beef Patty Ingredients

For the Burger Patty

Ground Beef
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt
Pepper
Egg
Liquid Smoke
Breadcrumbs
Oil

INGREDIENTS FOR LOCO MOCO GRAVY

Ultimately, the gravy could undoubtedly be the star of this recipe. Nothing tops a homemade from scratch recipe such as traditional brown gravy. Perhaps this recipe needs its own blog post.

If you are substituting anything in this recipe, do not omit preparing the gravy as listed in this post. Here is what you will need:

Loco Moco Gravy recipe ingredients in small yellow and white bowls. Water is in a clear measuring glass and additional ingredients are in a circular motion beginning with browning sauce and ending with onion. — Loco Moco Gravy Recipe Ingredients

Garlic
Onion
Mushrooms
Flour
Salted Butter
Water
Soy Sauce
Beef Bouillon
Browning Seasoning Sauce
Salt
Pepper

Recipe ingredient: Browning and Seasoning Sauce Bottle. Brown bottle with yellow labeling and top with seasoning label written in red and white reading, "Kitchen Bouquet". — Browning and Seasoning Sauce Bottle

Additional Ingredients

Short Grain Rice
Sunny Side Up Eggs
Rice Seasoning/Furikake
Green Onions

HOW TO MAKE LOCO MOCO BURGER PATTIES

First, prepare the burger patties as this will be the most time-consuming portion of the recipe. It is important to note, you should also begin preparing rice as a first step so the ingredients will be ready simultaneously.

In a large mixing bowl, add burger patty ingredients beginning with ground beef and ending with breadcrumbs. Then, mix thoroughly until ingredients are combined. Now, separate ground beef into four even sections.

Carefully roll burger mixture into balls and set aside. Meanwhile, in a large skillet (preferably a cast iron skillet), add oil and turn the heat to medium/high.

Loco Moco Recipe with three ground beef patties covered in brown gravy in a black cast iron skillet. — Loco Moco Hamburger Patties

How to Cook Burger Patties

At this instant, add the burger balls to the pan and lightly smash burgers into patties. It is important to note, the heat should be fairly high, and the burgers should sizzle and release smoke.

Allow the patties to cook for five minutes on one side being careful not to disturb the patties. Flip patties and sear an additional four minutes being careful not to disturb the patties.

Finally, remove the patties from the heat (will not be cooked through) and set aside until further use.

HOW TO MAKE LOCO MOCO VIDEO

Loco Moco Recipe Video

HOW TO MAKE LOCO MOCO GRAVY

As mentioned, the gravy is top tier and possibly the star of this recipe. It is rich in beef flavor and pairs well with the sticky rice, beef patty and sunny side up egg.

In the same skillet used to cook hamburger patties, add garlic, onion, mushrooms and sauté. If needed, add a small amount of oil (one tsp) so the veggies will not stick to the pan.

Next, sauté vegetable and garlic mixture until soft and translucent. Next, carefully sprinkle in the flour and whisk for about one minute. It is important to note that it is helpful to actually time this portion of the recipe!

Loco Moco Brown Gravy Recipe in a black cast iron skillet on a gas stove. — Loco Moco Gravy

How to Prepare the Roux for Loco Moco Gravy

Now, add butter and continue to whisk, stirring constantly for about two minutes or until flour cooks out. Then, slowly pour in water and whisk simultaneously.

Quickly pour in soy sauce, bouillon and browning seasoning sauce. Continue to whisk and allow gravy to reduce and thicken. (About five minutes) Adjust flavor to your taste adding salt and pepper if needed.

Now, add par cooked burger patties back into the gravy, cover and let simmer on low for ten to fifteen minutes until burger patties are cooked through to your desired temperature.

HOW TO PLATE THIS DISH

Finally, we are close to enjoying delicious Hawaiian Loco Moco. Here is the best way to plate the dish as seen in this blog post.

Using a small or ramekin sized bowl, add the cooked sticky rice to the bowl. This will help to mold the rice into a circular shape for best presentation purposes. Certainly, you don't have to do this but give it a try if you have the time!

Quickly poor the warm gravy over the rice and add the beef patty on top. Lastly, top the Loco Moco with the sunny side up egg and garnish with chopped green onions.

WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE!

Hawaiian Loco Moco can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner! While this dish is not necessarily "healthy", it rings true to traditional comfort foods that most still enjoy periodically.

My Great Aunt Thelma lived in Honolulu, Hawaii for over twenty years and this recipe reminds me so much of her. As I have shared in other blog posts, food connects me mostly with memories and I am so happy to share this recipe in honor of her!

If you like this recipe, you will love Spam Loco Moco!

How To Make Hawaiian Loco Moco Recipe

Carita

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Hawaiian, Japanese

Servings 4 people