Want to make the ultimate Hawaiian comfort food with rice, a hamburger, fried eggs, and topped with gravy? Scroll to get my full Hawaiian Loco Moco recipe!
This Hawaiian Loco Moco Recipe contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
This Hawaiian Loco Moco is the ultimate comfort food. A classic Hawaiian dish made with rice, gravy, a burger patty, and a runny and delicious fried egg, it will become a breakfast or dinner staple at your home from the moment you try it!
When it comes to comfort food, I have a couple of hard and fast rules: It should be easy to whip up, super satisfying and delicious, and a crowd favorite.
Hawaiian Loco Moco is exactly that, a simple, comforting dish made with basic ingredients and a delicious flavor. It’s an easy Hawaiian comfort food that’s both filling and fun to serve.
This Hawaiian cuisine is a crowd favorite and frugal dish that everyone enjoys. My husband often claims it’s the best Hawaiian food he’s had!
So, when I was looking for Hawaiian food recipes to share with you, I knew a good Loco Moco had to be included.
In fact, I’ve even highlighted Loco Moco as one of the top Foods You Should Try in Hawaii!
Keep scrolling to learn how to make Loco Moco that will knock your socks off! This is one of the best Hawaiian recipes!
What is Loco Moco in Hawaii?
When people from outside Hawaii first hear about this dish, they all have the exact same question: What’s the story behind it, and why does it have a funny name?
Loco Moco was invented around 1950 in a Hawaiian cafe, in Hilo, to be precise. It is one of the most popular things to eat in the Big Island!
A group of teenagers was looking for something delicious to eat for breakfast that was different from an American sandwich and faster than some traditional Asian breakfasts.
They thought the concoction was “loco,” which means crazy, and the rest is history. It’s seriously one of the most popular Hawaii food recipes and a beloved Hawaiian comfort food that has stood the test of time.
How to Cook Loco Moco Rice
The great thing about Loco Moco is that you can use any rice. However, the traditional one is made with short-grain rice cooked until sticky.
The easiest way to make sticky rice is to use a rice cooker!
- Rinse the rice three times to remove dirt and starches and place it inside the rice cooker.
- Fill the rice cooker with water until it covers the rice. Close with a lid and turn it on.
- That’s it! Perfect sticky rice every single time.
You can also use an Instant Pot if you have one. We’ve done that a few times, and I like the way the rice turns out. It’s sticky and has a nice flavor.
You can also use this same rice recipe for a variety of different Hawaii foods, including other Hawaiian breakfast recipes like Spam and Eggs or Portuguese Sausage.
Rice is a big part of Hawaiian cooking and essential in a traditional Loco Moco recipe.
Top Questions About Loco Moco
Loco is the Hawaiian term for “crazy,” and Moco refers to a hamburger. So, it translates to “crazy hamburger.” And if you think about it, the name does fit. It’s like a deconstructed hamburger with rice instead of a hamburger bun.
Yes! This recipe is for a traditional Hawaiian Loco Moco. However, there are lots of ways to put your own twist on it, as well as slightly different Loco Moco recipes. My husband loves mixing in spicy kimchi and substituting white rice for fried rice. I like simple flavors, so I like to add some pickled ginger on top for a bit of brightness.
A traditional Hawaiian breakfast usually includes some sort of meat, egg, and rice combo. Portuguese sausage and Spam are popular breakfast meats that are included in a lot of local Hawaiian recipes. A sunny side up egg or a fried egg with rice and protein is very common.
If you’re looking for other traditional Hawaiian recipes, I’ve written up posts about how to make Kalua Pork, Huli Huli Chicken, and Spam Musubi. These are some of the best local Hawaiian food recipes worth making.
Hawaiian Loco Moco Recipe
Hawaiian Loco Moco Ingredients:
- 3 Cups of rice, cooked
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Cup ground beef
- ½ Tsp garlic powder
- ½ Tsp onion powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1 Cup beef stock or beef broth
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 4 Eggs
- Butter for frying the eggs
Tip: For added texture, try mixing in bread crumbs with your meat mixture when forming the patties.
How to Make Hawaiian Loco Moco
Prepare the hamburger patties: In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
Shape four patties. For best results, form a juicy hamburger patty by pressing gently and keeping the center slightly indented.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat and cook each beef patty for around 3 minutes per side or until done. Transfer to a plate a set-aside.
While the burgers are cooking, prepare the gravy. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add the beef stock or broth and soy sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens. Remove from heat and set aside. This creates a delicious brown gravy that perfectly complements the dish.
Brush the top of a pan with some butter and fry the eggs for around 2 minutes or until done but still runny. You want that runny egg yolk to bring richness to every bite.
Assemble the Loco Moco: Make a bed of rice. Top with the flavorful hamburger patty and drizzle the brown gravy on top. Finish with the sunny side up fried egg.
Sprinkle some green onions for a pop of freshness and color!
For leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Hawaiian Loco Moco Recipe Wrap-Up
And now you know how to make one of the most popular Hawaiian dishes! You’ll want to make this Loco Moco again and again!
It’s one of those authentic Hawaii recipes that works for any time of day—and if you’re new to this dish, this is truly an easy loco moco recipe to try at home.
Love Hawaiian foods? Check out all my Hawaiian recipes for Hawaiian traditional food recipes and dessert recipes!
Hawaiian Loco Moco Recipe
This Hawaiian Loco Moco is the ultimate comfort food. A traditional Hawaiian dish made with rice, gravy, a burger patty and topped with a runny and delicious fried egg, this dish is going to become a staple at your home from the moment you try it!
Ingredients
- 3 Cups rice, cooked
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Cup ground beef
- ½ Tsp garlic powder
- ½ Tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1 Cup beef broth
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 4 Eggs
- Butter for frying the eggs
Instructions
- Prepare the hamburger patties: In a bowl combine the ground beef with the garlic powder, onion powder and salt and pepper. Shape 4 patties. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and cook each hamburger patty for around 3 minutes per side or until done. Transfer to plate a set aside.
- While the burgers are cooking prepare the gravy. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Add the broth and soy sauce and cook, stirring occasionally until the gravy thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Brush the top of a pan with some butter and fry the eggs for around 2 minutes or until done but still runny.
- Assemble the Loco Moco: Make a bed of rice. Top with the hamburger patty and drizzle the gravy on top. Finish with the sunny side up fried egg.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 524Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 298mgSodium: 705mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 28g