Prepare your taste buds for a flavor explosion and make The Best Spam® Loco Moco with Gravy. This comforting recipe can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Enjoy flavors from Hawaii with this popular meat served on a bed of sticky rice, homemade gravy and a sunny side up egg.
If you like this recipe, you will love Traditional Hawaiian Loco Moco.
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!
WHAT IS SPAM®?
Spam® is a canned luncheon meat that was created in the 1930's. Back then, it contributed to filling a void for inexpensive meats during World War II.
While there is speculation about this "fancy" meat, it is made up of only a few ingredients. To explain, pork with ham meat, salt, water, potato starch, sugar and sodium nitrate. To read more about its ingredients, click here.
WHAT DOES SPAM® TASTE LIKE?
With its spongy, moist and soft texture, Spam® presents itself like most sausage patties. With high notes of savory salt, additional spices, and hints of smoky notes, this canned meat is really appeasing to the palate.
While this popular canned meat may not be appealing to all, it is certainly enjoyed by most all over the world!
WHAT DOES SPAM® LOCO MOCO TASTE LIKE?
This dish is rich and pleasing to a hungry belly! Unlike traditional Loco Moco, the base of this dish stems from the fat released from the Spam® to build the gravy.
On a bed of sticky white rice, the gravy is added to bring moisture to the rice and the charred Spam® provides the smoky, salty and spicy notes needed. Finally, a runny egg is added to really set this dish a part and provide a decadent finish.
WHAT RICE PAIRS BEST WITH LOCO MOCO?
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 gravy.
If you have short or medium grain rice, that will work best but any rice of your choice is fine too!
INGREDIENTS FOR SPAM® LOCO MOCO
What is enjoyable about classic dishes are the staple ingredients used to build the recipe. With that said, I am certain you have most of these ingredients on hand.
Here is what you will need:
- Spam®
- Rice (short grain or jasmine)
- Eggs
- Green Onion
- Furikake (optional)
INGREDIENTS FOR LOCO MOCO GRAVY
As mentioned, the gravy is built from the base of the released fat from the seared Spam®. Be sure to reserve that after the searing process.
Here is what you will need:
- Garlic
- Onion
- Mushrooms
- Flour
- Butter
- Soy Sauce
- Browning Seasoning
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Salt
- Pepper
HOW TO MAKE SPAM® LOCO MOCO WITH GRAVY
PREPARE ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS
First, prepare the additional ingredients and set aside. Begin by prepping and preparing the rice according to package instructions.
Next, roughly chop the green onion and prepare the eggs according to your liking.
HOW TO PREPARE LOCO MOCO GRAVY
First, in a medium to large sized skillet, add 4-6 slices of Spam® on medium/high heat. Then, sear the on both sides until browned and crispy. Remove from heat, set aside until later use.
In the same skillet used to sear Spam®, add garlic, onion and mushrooms and sauté. If needed, add a small amount of oil (one tsp). Now, sauté vegetable and garlic mixture until soft and translucent.
HOW TO PREPARE THE ROUX
Next, sprinkle in flour and whisk for about one minute.
At this instant, add butter and continue to whisk, stirring constantly for about two minutes or until flour cooks out. Slowly pour in water and whisk simultaneously. Then, pour in soy sauce, browning seasoning and Worcestershire sauce.
Without delay, continue to whisk and allow gravy to reduce and thicken. (About five minutes)
Finally, adjust flavor to your liking adding salt and pepper if needed.
HOW TO MAKE SPAM® LOCO MOCO RECIPE VIDEO
HOW TO PLATE SPAM® LOCO MOCO WITH GRAVY
Finally, we are close to enjoying delicious Spam® 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!
Next, sprinkle the top of the rice with about ¼ teaspoon of furikake seasoning.
Quickly poor the warm gravy over the rice and add two seared Spam® patties on top. Lastly, top the with the sunny side up egg and garnish with chopped green onions!
WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE!
Spam® 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 with memories, and I am so happy to share this recipe in honor of her!
If you like this recipe, you will love Traditional Loco Moco!
The Best Spam® Loco Moco with Gravy
Ingredients
- 12 oz Spam®
- 1.5 cups Rice short grain or jasmine
- 2-4 small Eggs sunny side up
- 2 tablespoon Green Onion
- 1 teaspoon Furikake optional
Loco Moco Gravy
- 1 tablespoon Garlic
- ½ cup Onion
- ½ cup Mushrooms
- 2 tablespoon Flour
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- 2 teaspoon Soy Sauce
- 1 cup Water + ½ cup if needed
- 2 teaspoon Browning Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to tsate
Instructions
Additional Recipe Instructions
- Prepare rice according to package instructions.
- Roughly chop green onion.
- Fry eggs according to your desired doneness.
Loco Moco Gravy
- In a medium to large sized skillet, add 4-6 slices of Spam® on medium/high heat.
- Sear the Spam® on both sides until browned and crispy. Remove from heat, set aside until later use.
- In the same skillet used to sear Spam®, add garlic, onion and mushrooms and sauté. If needed, add a small amount of oil (one tsp).
- Sauté vegetable and garlic mixture until soft and translucent.
- Sprinkle in flour and whisk for about one minute.
- Add butter and continue to whisk, stirring constantly for about two minutes or until flour cooks out.
- Slowly pour in water and whisk simultaneously.
- Pour in soy sauce, browning seasoning and Worcestershire 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.
- Serve with seared Spam®, white rice and top with a runny/sunny side up egg.
- Garnish with furikake and green onions.
- Enjoy!
Wilma says
Thanks for adding spam. My husband loves it! Make a nice addition when we used the leftovers for breakfast! This recipe delivered on taste. Also, your steps weee easy to follow. My meal wasn’t as pretty as yours but it went down smoothly and full of flavor! Can’t wait for your next idea! Thanks SeasonedToTaste
Carita says
Yes! Spam Loco Moco is amazing. Almost, if not better than traditional!!!
Sean says
There is no reference to the amount of water or bullion in your recipe. What are the ratios ?
Carita says
Thanks for catching that! I've updated the recipe card to reflect the amount of water. You'll need one cup plus a possible half cup, depending on desired level of thickness for the gravy. There is no bouillon added in the gravy, only "W" sauce and browning seasoning. Perhaps you were checking out the traditional loco moco recipe I have that includes beef bouillon!
Aimee says
You don’t tell how much water to use in the gravy
Carita says
Good catch, thank you! I've updated the recipe card. You'll need one cup of water and possibly 1/2 cup extra depending on your desired level of thickness for the gravy. Hope this helps!