Hawaiian Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Loco Moco
A towering Hawaiian comfort classic: steamed rice topped with a beef patty, sunny-side-up egg, and rich brown gravy that soaks into every bite.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
8 steps- 1
Mix the ground beef, onion, panko, one egg, a generous pinch of salt, and pepper until just combined, then shape into 3 or 4 patties.
- 2
Sear the patties in a hot skillet for about 3 minutes per side until well browned but still juicy inside, then set aside and tent with foil.
- 3
Add the butter to the same skillet and let it melt, scraping up the browned bits from the beef.
- 4
Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute to form a paste, then slowly whisk in the beef broth and soy sauce until smooth.
- 5
Simmer the gravy, whisking often, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes.
- 6
Meanwhile, fry the remaining eggs sunny-side up in a separate pan, keeping the yolks runny.
- 7
Mound the rice in shallow bowls, top each with a beef patty, then ladle the hot gravy generously over the top.
- 8
Finish each bowl with a fried egg so the yolk breaks and mingles with the gravy when cut into.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
66/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving745
Calories
19 g
Protein
148 g
Carbs
6 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Loco moco was invented in 1949 at a diner called the Lincoln Grill in Hilo, Hawaii, when a group of teenagers asked for something cheap and filling that was not a sandwich. The owner layered a hamburger patty over rice and topped it with gravy, and someone added a fried egg — and the dish was complete. The name is partly slang (Hawaiian locals use 'loco' loosely to mean wild or crazy) and the dish became one of the defining comfort foods of the islands, sold at virtually every plate lunch spot across Hawaii.
Listahan note
This version focuses on getting the gravy right — a quick pan-dripping gravy made while the burger rests pulls the whole dish together without needing a packet.
Technique cues
- Season the beef patty simply with salt and pepper and press a slight dimple in the center before cooking so it stays flat rather than doming up as the proteins tighten.
- After removing the burger, build the gravy directly in the same pan: add beef broth to the drippings, whisk in a cornstarch slurry, and scrape up every browned bit — this is where the depth of flavor lives.
- Fry the egg last so it is served immediately over the hot patty; a runny yolk acts as a secondary sauce that enriches each bite of rice and gravy.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Start the rice first; while it cooks, form and season the patties so you are ready to cook them the moment the rice finishes.
- Make-ahead
- Patties can be formed and refrigerated up to 24 hours ahead; the gravy can be made ahead and reheated with a splash of broth to loosen it. Fry eggs to order.
- Leftover move
- Leftover patties and gravy reheat beautifully as a bowl the next morning — just fry a fresh egg and you have an instant breakfast version.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Make the gravy in the same skillet used for the burger and egg; the whole dish comes from one pan, so cleanup is a single soak.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
ground beef (80/20)
main protein patty
Purpose: The fat content in 80/20 beef produces a juicy, well-browned patty that contributes fond to the pan for building the gravy.
Handling: Form loosely without overworking — pack the meat too tight and the patty turns dense; a gentle shape and a thumbprint indent in the center is enough.
Adaptation: Ground turkey works but produces a leaner patty with less fond for gravy; add a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce to compensate.
beef broth
gravy base
Purpose: Deglazes the pan drippings and provides the savory liquid body for the sauce that defines this dish.
Handling: Use low-sodium broth so you can control the final salt level; reduce for 2 to 3 minutes after adding to concentrate the flavor before thickening.
Adaptation: Mushroom broth for a vegetarian direction; the flavor is different but still deeply savory.
eggs
classic topper
Purpose: The runny yolk melts into the gravy and rice beneath it, acting as a rich, unctuous finishing sauce unique to loco moco.
Handling: Fry in butter over medium heat just until the white sets but the yolk is still fully liquid; slide directly onto the finished bowl.
Adaptation: A soft poached egg works equally well and is slightly lower in fat.
white rice
base layer
Purpose: Short-grain white rice is the starchy foundation that absorbs the gravy and yolk, making the dish filling enough to qualify as a full meal.
Handling: Pack 1 cup of cooked rice firmly into a bowl, then invert it onto the plate for the traditional mound presentation.
Adaptation: Brown rice for more fiber; cauliflower rice for a low-carb adaptation, though the dish loses its defining comfort-food quality.
Worcestershire sauce
gravy depth builder
Purpose: A small amount adds tangy umami complexity to the gravy that plain broth alone cannot achieve.
Handling: Add early when building the gravy so it cooks briefly and mellows; added at the end it can taste sharp and raw.
Adaptation: Soy sauce in a smaller amount (about half) serves the same umami function with a slightly different profile.
Technique notes
- The quality of your gravy determines the quality of your loco moco — invest the 3 extra minutes to build it from pan drippings rather than using a packet or jarred sauce.
- A cast-iron skillet gives you the best crust on the patty and the richest fond for gravy; non-stick pans produce less browning and a less flavorful sauce.
- For a plate-lunch presentation, arrange rice mound, patty, and egg in a specific order — rice on the left, patty on top, egg centered, gravy ladled generously over everything — it is intentionally abundant-looking.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Use cornstarch instead of flour to thicken the gravy, and verify Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free (many brands are, some contain malt vinegar).
- Vegetarian direction
- Use a black bean or lentil patty and mushroom broth gravy; the runny egg topper keeps the richness even without meat.
- Lower-fat direction
- Use 90/10 ground beef and a pan-spritzed soft-fried egg; the gravy can be defatted after making by skimming the surface.
Serve alongside
- Steamed broccoli
- Hawaiian macaroni salad
- Sliced kimchi
- Tropical fruit juice
- Iced coffee
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Store cooked patties and gravy together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of broth to prevent the patty from drying out.
- Do not store assembled bowls with rice — the rice absorbs all the gravy and turns gummy; keep components separate and assemble fresh.
Equipment
- Cast-iron or stainless skillet (for proper fond and crust)
- Whisk (for lump-free gravy)
- Rice cooker or saucepan with a tight-fitting lid
Make this household-aware
Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.
Plan it in Listahan
Add Loco Moco to your week, check it against your household's allergens, and build the shopping list automatically.
More Hawaiian recipes
Hawaiian Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Spam Fried Rice
Day-old rice stir-fried with caramelized Spam, egg, soy sauce, and green onion — a quick, satisfying island classic that turns pantry staples into something craveable.
Hawaiian Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Chicken Luau
Tender chicken simmered with young taro leaves in coconut milk until velvety and earthy — a quietly comforting Hawaiian stew full of old-fashioned luau warmth.
Hawaiian Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Lau Lau
Pork shoulder and butterfish bundled in layers of taro leaf and steamed until meltingly tender — earthy, rich, and deeply rooted in Native Hawaiian tradition.