Loco Moco is a classic Hawaiian comfort dish: steamed white rice topped with a juicy hamburger patty, a sunny-side-up egg, and finished with a rich mushroom gravy.
This hearty meal works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s flavorful, filling, and surprisingly easy to prepare. Despite its playful name, Loco Moco is an unfussy dish built from simple components. Below I’ll explain the essentials so you can recreate it at home.
About Loco Moco
Loco Moco originated in Hawaii in the late 1940s as an affordable, satisfying plate for local teens. The dish blends Asian and American comfort-food influences and was created as inexpensive diner fare. Its quirky name reportedly came from a friend’s nickname, and it stuck.
The traditional Loco Moco is simple: a bed of white rice, a seasoned hamburger patty, a fried egg, and brown mushroom gravy poured over the top. Many variations exist—you can add bacon, ham, tofu, or different meats—but the core idea remains the same.
With so few elements, focus on making a flavorful burger patty and a well-seasoned gravy. I prefer to keep both straightforward and reliable; the instructions and tips that follow will help you achieve that.
1. Hamburger patties
For the patties I keep things minimalist: ground beef, finely diced onion, and salt and pepper. Because the patty is the main component, use the best ground beef you can afford—ground chuck with about 20% fat gives the best flavor and juiciness.
Freshly ground beef will be more tender and flavorful. If possible, ask your butcher to grind it on the spot, or use a home grinder or food processor.
I like large, thick patties for a satisfying appearance and texture. For two large patties I use about 400 grams (0.9 lb) of ground beef. If you prefer smaller portions, divide the meat accordingly. When forming large patties, make the center slightly thinner than the edges so they cook evenly and don’t domes too much.
2. Mushroom gravy
The gravy is what brings the rice, burger, and egg together. Cook the patties first to capture the pan drippings—those browned bits add depth to the gravy. After removing the patties, sauté diced onion and sliced mushrooms in the pan until golden and caramelized.
I use beef stock as the base, then season with soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce for umami. To thicken the gravy, whisk a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) and stir it in until the sauce reaches a glossy, coat-the-spoon consistency. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
3. Sunny-side up eggs
While the original Loco Moco didn’t always include an egg, a runny sunny-side-up has become essential. For neat, round eggs you can use a small ring (I use a 4-inch/10cm cutter) placed on a greased skillet. Grease the cutter, crack an egg into it, cover with a tight lid, and cook until the white is set but the yolk remains soft.
Season the cooked egg with a pinch of salt and pepper. If you don’t have a ring, carefully fry the eggs in a nonstick pan until the whites are set and the yolks still jiggle slightly.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Udon with Onsen Tamago
- Chicken Katsu Curry
- Gyudon (Beef Bowl)
- Creamy Chicken Soup
- Beef Udon
Loco Moco
Ingredients
- 2 servings steamed white rice
- 2 sunny side up eggs
- Green onion, chopped finely
Patties
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 0.9 lb (400 gr) ground beef
- 1/2 small onion, minced finely
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Mushroom Gravy
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 small onion, diced finely
- 5 mushrooms, sliced thinly
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) beef stock
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- salt, to taste
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tbsp water
Instructions
Patties
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In a large bowl, combine ground beef, finely minced onion, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined. Form into 2 large patties (or 4 medium). Season one side with additional salt and pepper and set aside.
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Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Place patties seasoned-side down and indent the center of each patty slightly to counteract doming. Cover the pan to retain moisture and cook 4–5 minutes per side, or until well browned and cooked through. Remove the patties and set aside.
Mushroom Gravy
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Add 1 tbsp butter to the pan with the meat drippings. Sauté diced onion and sliced mushrooms until golden, about 5 minutes. Pour in the beef stock and bring to a simmer. Season with Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and salt; adjust to taste.
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Whisk cornstarch and water to make a slurry, then stir it into the simmering gravy. Cook until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat and set aside.
Assemble
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To serve, place steamed rice on a plate. Top with a hamburger patty, spoon mushroom gravy over the patty, and finish with a sunny-side-up egg. Garnish with chopped green onion if desired.