Loco Moco

When we think of the cuisine of the Hawaiian islands, certain dishes immediately spring to mind, such as huli huli chicken, spam musubi and poke. But one Hawaiian dish you might not have heard of is loco moco, which is an iconic plate lunch (a term used for a takeout meal of rice and meat). It doesn’t feature fish or tropical ingredients, but it’s a savory and filling meal that’s beloved by locals.

What is loco moco?

Hawaiian loco moco begins with a bed of cooked rice underneath a burger patty, which is then topped with a sunny-side up egg and rich drizzles of gravy. Locals enjoy it for lunch, as an oversized breakfast or even as a hangover cure. It can be found at eateries across the state—from diners and roadside stands to high-end restaurants—that serve both original and elevated versions of this humble dish.

Loco moco was created in the 1940s in the town of Hilo on the big island of Hawaii. A group of local teens convinced the owner of their favorite hangout, a restaurant called the Lincoln Grill, to come up with something new just for them. They wanted a menu item that was filling, cheap and quick to eat. Using ingredients on hand for other recipes—rice, burgers, gravy and eggs—the owner created loco moco. And that name? Rumor has it that “Loco” was the nickname of one of those teens; paired with the rhyming “moco,” the name stuck. Now, it’s a favorite plate lunch across the islands.

Loco Moco Ingredients

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

• Ground beef: The best beef for burgers depends on the recipe and cooking method. For these pan-fried burgers, I like to use a blend of 80% lean and 20% fat.
• Cooked rice: To make the filling base for this dish, use your favorite kind of white rice. To make perfect rice that’s fluffy, remember to rinse the rice and to avoid stirring.
• Eggs: Traditional loco moco is topped with a sunny-side up egg. If you’ve never made one before, we have plenty of tips on how to fry an egg and achieve a runny yolk.
• Beef stock: A flavorful brown gravy ties the whole dish together. Add beef stock to the drippings from the burgers to make an easy, homemade gravy.
• Sweet onion: Pick up a Vidalia, Walla Walla or another type of sweet onion to season the burgers and the gravy.
• Worcestershire sauce: It’s okay if you can’t pronounce it—just make sure to use Worcestershire sauce to add umami flavor to the burgers and gravy.
• Soy sauce: Another flavor boost for the gravy is a little soy sauce. Use your favorite soy sauce brand.
• Butter: To soften the onions and make the gravy, use unsalted butter. If you’re using salted butter, cut back on the additional salt slightly.
• Cornstarch: One of the fastest ways to thicken a sauce (like the beef gravy in this recipe) is with a slurry of cornstarch and water.
• Scallions: Sliced scallions add fresh flavor, crunch and color to the finished loco moco. Store green onions in a glass of water—it’s how you can regrow them, too!
• Garlic: Fresh garlic boosts the savory flavor of the burgers. It’s easy to mince fresh garlic with tools like a Microplane zester or a mini chopper.
• Vegetable oil: Use just a little vegetable oil to quickly cook the eggs.
• Salt and pepper: Salt and black pepper are the only seasonings you need to complete your mouthwatering loco moco.

Directions

Step 1: Shape the patties

Combine the ground beef, finely chopped sweet onion, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Divide the mixture into fourths and shape each portion into a 1-inch-thick patty. Press your thumb into the center of each patty to create an indentation.

Editor’s Tip: Making an indentation in the centers of the burger patties helps prevent them from shrinking during cooking.

Step 2: Cook the patties

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; place the patties in the hot pan with about two inches of space between them.

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

Cook the burgers for four to five minutes, then flip them over to cook on the other side for another four to five minutes (the internal temperature should be 160°F). Transfer the burgers to a plate and cover them to keep them warm.

Step 3: Make the gravy

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

Discard the excess grease from the pan and return the pan to the burner. Melt the butter over medium heat, then add in the diced sweet onion. Cook and stir the onion, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the onion is softened, for four to five minutes. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, salt and pepper to the pan and stir them together. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the liquid to a simmer. Let it simmer for four to five minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water; add this mixture to the pan. Whisk the gravy constantly for two to three minutes or until it has thickened and become smooth. Move the pan off the heat.

Step 4: Make the sunny-side up eggs

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

Heat a teaspoon of vegetable oil in a small, nonstick frying pan set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, crack an egg into the pan. Let the egg cook without moving or flipping it for two to three minutes. The whites should be set and the yolk still runny. Carefully transfer the egg to a plate; repeat these steps to cook the other three eggs.

Step 5: Assemble the loco mocos

To serve the loco moco, add a cup of cooked rice to each bowl or plate. Top each with a burger and a generous pour of gravy. Add a sunny-side up egg to each dish, and garnish them with diced scallions. Serve the loco mocos immediately, while they’re still hot!

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

Loco Moco Variations

• Add a little ketchup: Don’t add ketchup to the burger, but to the gravy. A tablespoon or two adds a bit of sweetness and acidity.
• Get fancy with foie gras: To add a dash of decadence to your loco moco, give slices of foie gras a quick sear on both sides and layer them between the burger and egg.
• Fold bread crumbs into the burgers: For larger burger patties that stay extra moist after cooking, add 1/2 cup of bread crumbs to the beef mixture, along with one beaten egg to bind everything together.
• Make loco moco with fried rice: Use homemade fried rice or pick some up from your favorite Chinese restaurant. It adds an extra layer of flavor, plus crispy bits of meat.
• Try a different meat: Instead of regular ground chuck, make a more flavorful burger with ground sirloin, Angus beef or wagyu. Or, make a lighter loco moco by swapping beef for ground turkey or chicken. In this case, use turkey or chicken stock in the gravy.
• Make a mushroom gravy: Add sliced white button, porcini or cremini mushrooms to the skillet with the butter and diced onions. Once they’re softened, add the rest of the gravy ingredients.

How to Store Loco Moco

To save leftovers of loco moco, store the individual components in separate containers. This makes it easy to reheat the ingredients for the next meal. Cover the containers tightly and store everything in the fridge.

How long does loco moco last?

Another reason to store loco moco components in separate containers is that they have different storage times. The cooked burgers and loco moco gravy can be stored in the fridge for up to four days, while rice lasts for no more than 24 hours in the fridge. While sunny-side up eggs can technically be refrigerated for up to two days, reheating them will make them tough. Ideally, wait to cook the eggs until just before serving loco moco.

How do you reheat loco moco?

The quickest way to reheat the loco moco burgers, gravy and rice is in the microwave. Reheat them, one at a time, in a loosely covered heatproof dish until they’re warmed through. The burgers and gravy can also be gently reheated in a pan on the stovetop. If you refrigerated any sunny-side up eggs, reheat them very gently and quickly in a nonstick skillet until they’re just warm. However, the eggs will have the best flavor and texture if you cook them from scratch just before enjoying your reheated loco moco. They only take a few minutes, so we’d suggest doing it that way.

Loco Moco Tips

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

What’s the best way to make rice for loco moco?

You can make rice for loco moco using your favorite method, whether that’s with a rice cooker, on the stovetop or in the microwave. The time it takes to cook the rice will vary depending on which method you choose and which type of rice you want. Instant rice brands are the fastest, but I like using jasmine rice that can be cooked in just 15 minutes.

How can you fix lumpy gravy?

The thickener for this gravy, cornstarch, thickens quickly and also dissolves cleanly into the gravy without leaving lumps. Just remember to mix the cornstarch with cold water before stirring it into the gravy.

Flour can also be used as a thickener, but it shouldn’t be added directly to the hot gravy—otherwise you’ll end up with lumps. Instead, blend the flour into the melted butter to make a paste or roux, and cook the mixture for a minute or so to get rid of the floury taste. Then, add the rest of the gravy ingredients. And if your gravy already has lumps? The easiest solution to fix the gravy is to just pour the gravy through a mesh strainer to remove them.

What else can you serve with loco moco?

One side that must make an appearance next to loco moco is a scoop of Hawaiian macaroni salad—or mac salad as it’s known to locals. It’s a classic, creamy pasta salad that’s a favorite during lunch or dinnertime, and is served from food trucks and in restaurants. Another option is to balance the comfort food meal with some veggies, like a watermelon-spinach salad or steamed veggie bundles cooked in foil packets. Our collection of Hawaiian recipes has even more inspiration from the Aloha State.