Iconic Hawaii Comfort Food–No Frills, No Fuss!
Most of the Hawaii recipes here on PWWB remind me of Mom’s side of the family. Loco Moco, however, always makes me think of Dad.
He’s a meat-and-potatoes Midwesterner who loves anything smothered in gravy. So, when he lived in Honolulu with my Mom, the Hawaii drive-in scene really stole his heart. His stories about their trips to Rainbow Drive-In have given me a soft spot for classics like Loco Moco.
Loco moco is hearty, no-frills Hawaii comfort food, and this is how we make it at home. It stays true to the classic version you’ll find on the islands: a juicy beef hamburger patty served over sticky white rice, topped with glossy brown gravy and a perfectly fried egg.
We give our gravy a little extra love with hearty mushrooms and sweet onions, adding even more flavor and tying everything together.
It’s rich, hearty, and crazy satisfying – the ultimate comfort food that’s best paired with a nap. 😉 I can’t wait for you to give it a try!
History of Loco Moco
It’s said loco moco was created in the 1940s in Hilo, when a group of teens, known as the Lincoln Wreckers, asked the owner of the Lincoln Grill to make them a filling, affordable meal. Legend has it the first teen to dive into the dish was called “Loco” (for “crazy”) which rhymed with moco and the name stuck. It’s also a nod to Japanese hambagu (hamburger steak over rice) and just one example of the beautiful fusion of flavors that defines Hawaiian comfort food.
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Key Ingredients
This is a classic loco moco recipe just like the versions my parents enjoyed at drive-ins when they were younger. You likely have most everything you need on hand!
You will need…
- Burger patties – The loco moco burger patty is the core of the dish! We make ours from ground beef – be sure to use 80% lean for tons of flavor. Worcestershire sauce adds umami-rich savoriness and seasonings like onion powder, black pepper, and seasoned salt like Lawry’s take all the flavors up a notch.
- Gravy – Smother the burger in a classic brown loco moco gravy made with butter, beef broth, beef base, Worcestershire sauce, and a cornstarch slurry. We also love to add sweet onions and mushrooms to our beef gravy for an even more delicious heartiness.
- Rice – Our preferred variety is Calrose rice, the medium-grain white rice often used in Hawaii. It gets nice and sticky as it cooks, creating the perfect bed to soak up all the richness of the loco moco burger and brown gravy. If you have trouble finding Calrose rice, a short-grain variety like sushi rice will work just fine. If you prefer to use something like brown rice or wild rice, go for it.
- Egg – Fry it sunny side up and place on top of your loco moco with a garnish of thinly sliced green onions.
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Buy Now → How to Make Loco Moco
Loco moco was originally created to be quick and convenient, so this recipe stays true to that tradition!
It all comes down to preparing 4 components – sticky white rice, beef burger patties, brown gravy, and fried eggs – then stacking them on top of each other. Making it all from scratch takes about 40 minutes, but a bit of meal prep makes this recipe even faster.
Meal Prep Tips!
A little prep ahead of time makes everything come together even faster when it’s time to cook. This is especially helpful if you’re feeding a crowd! Mix and form the burger patties in advance, then just pop them in the pan to cook when you’re ready. Slice the mushrooms and onions ahead of time to speed up the gravy prep, too. Check the Recipe Notes, below, for more Loco Moco meal prep tips!
Cook the rice. Be sure to rinse your rice thoroughly to remove any starches from the surface of the grain. This helps give the rice a beautifully sticky consistency! Transfer to a rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer’s directions. Important! ⇢ For extra fluffy rice, be sure to let the rice rest in its steam for 5-10 minutes after it finishes cooking.
Gently mix all the burger ingredients with your hands and form into patties (don’t over mix or else the burgers may be tough!). Pan-fry the patties in butter until they’re golden brown. Why? ⇢ Pan-frying keeps all of the rich beef drippings in the pan. That’s exactly where we want them – they’re the foundation of flavor for the loco moco gravy!
Add sliced mushrooms and sweet onions to the pan and sauté them for about 10 minutes until deeply browned (don’t rush this!). Deglaze with beef stock and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan – there’s so much flavor trapped in this fond! Add Worcestershire sauce and beef base, then bring to a simmer and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Why? ⇢ These gravy ingredients create tons of flavor but the cornstarch slurry is all about texture! It helps everything come together as a thick and glossy gravy.
You’re after a beautiful sunny side-up egg here! Simply crack an egg into melted butter and cook until the whites set but the yolk is still a little runny. Why? ⇢ A perfectly runny egg oozes into the rest of the loco moco as you slice into it – picture-perfect and so crave-worthy!
Serving Suggestions
The classic way to serve loco moco is by layering a juicy burger patty over sticky rice, then smothering it all in rich beef gravy. It’s pure genius—the rice soaks up all the savory gravy and burger juices, making every bite a comfort-filled delight. 🤤 Top it off with a fried egg and a sprinkle of sliced green onion for the perfect finishing touch.
While loco moco is often served plate lunch style with mac salad in Hawaii, it’s hearty enough to enjoy on its own!
I can’t wait for you to try this Loco Moco recipe! It’s a treat-yourself kind of dish that appeals to locals and mainlanders alike – Mom and Dad are proof of that! My family absolutely loves it and sharing it with you means the world to us!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
Print
Rich and Hearty Loco Moco (Local Hawaii Comfort Food)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Main Dishes, Beef Recipes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
When it comes to local Hawaiian comfort food, there’s nothing more iconic than Loco Moco! Nestle a juicy, pan-fried beef hamburger patty into a pile of fluffy white rice, all smothered in a rich brown gravy with savory mushrooms and sweet onions.
Top it off with a perfectly fried egg, and you’ve got yourself a meal that’s as hearty as it is delicious. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this classic loco moco brings the taste of Hawaii right to your kitchen!
Be sure to check out the blog post, above, to learn more about the origins of this iconic dish and the beauty of the local Hawaii food scene! It’s something I’ve enjoyed my entire life and it’s so exciting to share with you here on PWWB. ♡ Happy cooking!🤙🏼
Ingredients
loco moco assembly and serving:
- 2 cups Calrose rice, rinsed well
- loco moco burger patties, below
- beef gravy, below
- fried eggs, below
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
loco moco burger patties:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 pound 80% lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
for the onion and mushroom beef gravy:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 8 ounces white button or cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and thinly sliced
- 1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups beef stock or broth
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon beef base
- cornstarch slurry (1 scant tablespoon cornstarch whisked with 1 tablespoon water)
for the fried eggs:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Cook the rice: Transfer the rice to the rice cooker’s inner cooking pan. To rinse the rice, cover the rice with warm water, give it a good jostle with your hands to agitate the dust off the rice’s surface, then carefully drain the water. Repeat rinsing until the water runs clear – this takes a good minute or two; be patient! Following the ratios provided in the manufacturer’s directions, add water to the inner cooking pan. Place the inner cooking pan in the rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer’s directions. Once the rice is done, let it steam and rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Form the loco moco burger patties: Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, prep the burger patties. To a medium bowl, add the ground beef, egg, panko breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, onion powder, and ground black pepper. Use your hands to mix until just combined – take care not to overmix, as doing so leads to tough burgers. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions. Form each portion into a ¾-inch thick burger patty, pressing a small indent in the center of each patty to prevent the burgers from swelling as they cook.
- Pan-fry the loco moco burger patties: Add the butter to the hot cast iron skillet. Once melted, place the loco moco hamburger patties in the skillet. Cook 3 minutes per side, until a nice crust has formed on each side of the burgers. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Prepare the onion and mushroom beef gravy: Add the butter to the same skillet used to pan-fry the burgers. Once melted, add the mushrooms and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, 8-10 minutes. Deglaze the skillet with beef stock, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce, and beef base. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, stir in the cornstarch slurry – the gravy should thicken immediately. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Reduce heat to keep warm for serving.
- Prepare the fried eggs: Meanwhile, as you prep and simmer the gravy, prepare the fried eggs. Place the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, carefully crack the eggs into the pan. Season with a good pinch of kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Cook 3-4 minutes, until the whites are set. Set aside for serving
- Loco moco assembly and serving: Pile the rice on a plate or shallow bowl, creating a nice bed for the burger. Place the loco moco hamburger on top of the rice. Smother the burger with onion and mushroom gravy, then top with a fried egg. Finish with a sprinkling of thinly sliced green onion, shoyu (soy sauce), and any other condiments you love. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage and Reheating: Loco moco is a dish that’s best enjoyed fresh, though the rice, burgers, and mushroom gravy will all store well. Transfer the components to separate airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Assemble a plate of loco moco with the leftovers, heat in the microwave until warmed through, and top with a freshly cooked fried egg.
- 15-Minute Meal Prep: This loco moco recipe has a couple of moving parts, but it all comes together pretty quickly once a little bit of prep work is out of the way. You can eliminate all active prep at dinnertime by taking care of this prep work in advance . Pick and choose from the list below, or do it all and all you have to do at dinnertime is get cooking – easy!
- Prepare the loco moco hamburgers according to Step 2 of Recipe Directions, above. Transfer the formed burger patties to an airtight container, separating them with a piece of wax or parchment paper. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. (5 minutes active prep)
- Prep the veggies. Slice the mushrooms and sweet onion according to the Ingredients List, above. Transfer to separate airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (10 minutes active prep)
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This was my husband’s favorite dish when we visited the Big Island. I made it today for his birthday, and it was a big hit. The mushroom onion gravy sauce was everyone’s favorite part (I used dried porcini mushrooms that I rehydrated and used the water for the beef base water). Thank you for this recipe! We will definitely make this again.
What a fun birthday dish! Happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed our version, Megan! 🙂