Assemble your own easy plate of Hawaiian Loco Moco by stacking up white rice, burger patty, gravy, and fried egg. A simple and comforting meal that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
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I’m always up for suggestions on what recipes you’d like for me to share. Recently, one of my followers on TikTok recommended the idea of posting about Loco Moco, as they’ve seen it on an anime called Food Wars! (Shokugeki no Soma). Having said that, here’s a recipe for Hawaiian Loco Moco. It’s inspired by the one from a local Hawaiian restaurant in Chicago that I’ve tried countless of times.
Loco Moco with Burger Patty
Hawaiian Loco Moco is a simple dish consisting of a few layers starting with white rice, topped with a burger patty, delicious gravy, and finally a sunny-side-up egg. The fried egg is normally made with a runny yolk, and it tastes so good when you mix it in with the gravy.
This is a popular comfort food in Hawaii, and is meant to be an effortless dish with ingredients that you mostly have in your pantry. It’s said that Loco Moco was conceptualized in Hilo, Hawaii when a group of students were looking for a delicious, affordable meal, that’s different from their normal order of a sandwich. And though the origins are still being debated, this dish quickly became a staple in restaurants across the islands.
There are also plenty of different versions of Loco Moco nowadays. Some variations include substituting burger patties with spam, teriyaki chicken or beef, sausage, and even tofu. In the Food Wars! anime, the dish prepared was a Loco Moco Donburi, which used a vinaigrette dressing with sides of diced avocados and tomatoes.
Recipe Instructions
- Mix beef broth, sugar, light soy sauce and pepper for the gravy and set aside.
- Marinate the ground beef with the ingredients listed and set aside for at least 15 minutes. Once marinated, form 2 or 3 beef patties of equal size.
- In a frying pan over medium heat, add the beef patties and let it cook for at least 3-4 minutes or until the bottom browns before flipping it over. Let it cook for another 3-4 minutes before removing from the pan (you’ll finish cooking the beef patties in the gravy later).
- In the same pan, add sliced onions and minced garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent then add mushrooms.
- Sauté until the mushrooms are cooked or have browned (3-4 minutes). Stir the gravy mixture one more time then pour it in.
- Bring to a boil and add the beef patties. Turn heat down to medium low. Let it continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes or until the gravy thickens.
- Fry the eggs sunny side up to your preferred yolk doneness.
- To serve, pour the gravy over rice, add the beef patty on top with more gravy and lastly, the fried egg. Garnish with green onions, add chili oil (optional) and enjoy!
Notes for Hawaiian Loco Moco
- Ground Beef: I used 80-20 ground beef, which means that there’s 80% lean meat and 20% fat. I love using this type to make the patty as once you’ve cooked the patty in the pan, the leftover juices and drippings are utilized to make the gravy. This then adds tremendous flavor to the gravy.
- Cornstarch: The cornstarch sludge will sink to the bottom so it’s very important to stir the gravy mixture again before pouring it in to the pan.
- Beef Broth: I prefer unsalted beef broths. But if you are using salted ones, adjust the seasoning accordingly.
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Recipe
Hawaiian Loco Moco
Ingredients
Loco Moco Beef Patties
- 1/2 lb ground beef I used 80-20 lean to fat ratio
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Gravy
- 1 cup beef broth unsalted
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1/2 onion sliced
- 4 button mushrooms sliced
Other Ingredients
- white rice
- diced green onions for garnish
- chili oil optional
Instructions
- Mix beef broth, sugar, light soy sauce and pepper for the gravy and set aside.
- Marinate the ground beef with the ingredients listed and set aside for at least 15 minutes. Once marinated, form 2 or 3 beef patties of equal size.
- In a frying pan over medium heat, add the beef patties and let it cook for at least 3-4 minutes or until the bottom browns before flipping it over. Let it cook for another 3-4 minutes before removing from the pan (you'll finish cooking the beef patties in the gravy later).
- In the same pan, add sliced onions and minced garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent then add mushrooms.
- Sauté until the mushrooms are cooked or have browned (3-4 minutes). Stir the gravy mixture one more time then pour it in.
- Bring to a boil and add the beef patties. Turn heat down to medium low. Let it continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes or until the gravy thickens.
- Fry the eggs sunny side up to your preferred yolk doneness.
- To serve, pour the gravy over rice, add the beef patty on top with more gravy and lastly, the fried egg. Garnish with green onions, add chili oil (optional) and enjoy!
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