Loco Moco (Hawaiian Hamburger, Egg and Gravy)
By Emily Carter ·
Published
Quick answer
Shape seasoned ground beef into patties and fry until browned and cooked through. Fry eggs sunny side up, then make a quick brown gravy in the same pan. Spoon steamed rice into bowls, top with a patty, an egg and a ladle of gravy, then scatter green onions over the top.
Loco Moco is the Hawaiian plate lunch that eats like a hug. A juicy hamburger patty over steamed rice, a fried egg with a runny yolk and rich brown gravy spooned over the top. It comes together in one pan in about 25 minutes, and it feeds a hungry table fast.
Why you’ll love it
- A juicy patty, a runny egg and rich gravy over warm rice.
- One pan, 25 minutes, and pantry ingredients.
- Feeds four hungry people for very little money.
- The gravy uses the patty drippings, so nothing goes to waste.
- Easy to scale up, with patties kept warm while you fry the eggs.
Ingredient notes
Ground beef: 80 percent lean is the sweet spot. Leaner beef dries out in the pan, while fattier beef shrinks too much and leaves the patty small.
Panko breadcrumbs: the binder that keeps the patty juicy. Panko holds the patty together without turning it dense, the way plain beef alone can.
Eggs: fried sunny side up, so the yolk stays runny. The yolk runs into the gravy and rice, and that is the best bite on the plate.
Beef broth and flour: the gravy base. Flour cooked in butter thickens the broth, and the browned bits from the patty pan give it a deep beefy flavor.
Rice: steamed white rice is the foundation. It soaks up the gravy and the yolk, so scoop it generously.
The same pan gravy rule that makes or breaks it
One rule decides whether loco moco tastes like a diner classic or a dry burger on rice, and it is the gravy. Make it in the same pan as the patties, scraping up every browned bit. Those bits are where the flavor lives, and a gravy made in a clean pan tastes thin and flat by comparison. The second rule is the egg. Fry it sunny side up and serve it right away, so the yolk is still runny when the plate hits the table. A set yolk just sits there. A runny yolk breaks over the patty and melts into the gravy, and that is the whole point of the dish.
Variations
- Chicken loco moco: swap the beef patty for a seasoned chicken thigh, grilled or fried, with the same egg and gravy.
- Spam loco moco: swap the patty for two slices of fried Spam for a salty, quick version.
- Mushroom gravy: add sliced mushrooms to the gravy and simmer until soft for an earthier sauce.
- Loco moco with mac salad: serve with a scoop of Hawaiian mac salad on the side, the classic plate lunch pair.
What we learned testing it
- Adding panko beat a plain beef patty clearly in the side by side test. The panko patty stayed juicy and tender, while the plain patty cooked up dense and tight.
- Making the gravy in the patty pan beat a clean pan. The pan drippings gave the gravy a deep beefy flavor that a clean pan gravy never reached.
- Frying the eggs sunny side up beat over easy. The runny yolk ran into the gravy and rice, while the set yolk sat on top and did nothing.
Read how we test recipes.
Loco Moco (Hawaiian Hamburger, Egg and Gravy)
Makes 4 plates · 40 min total · Easy
Ingredients
Equipment
Large skillet · Medium saucepan · Spatula · Mixing bowl · Whisk · Rice cooker or pot
Instructions
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Shape and fry the beef patties
Mix the ground beef, panko, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl, just until combined. Shape into four patties, a little wider than your palm, with a small dimple in the center of each one. Fry in a hot skillet 4 minutes per side until browned and cooked through, then set aside on a plate.
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Fry the eggs sunny side up
Wipe the skillet quickly, melt a little butter and crack in the eggs. Fry over medium heat until the whites are fully set and the yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Do not flip them. Lift the eggs out gently and set them aside on a plate.
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Make the brown gravy in the same pan
Melt the butter in the same skillet, scraping up the browned bits from the patties. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute until it smells nutty, then whisk in the beef broth and soy sauce a little at a time. Simmer 3 minutes, stirring, until the gravy coats the back of a spoon.
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Plate the loco moco and serve
Spoon steamed rice into four bowls or plates. Top each mound of rice with a patty, then an egg, then a generous ladle of hot gravy. Scatter sliced green onions over the top and serve right away, while the yolks are still runny.
Notes
- Do not press the patties flat while they fry. Pressing squeezes out the juices and turns a juicy patty into a dry one.
- Make the gravy in the same pan as the patties, so it picks up all the browned bits. Those bits are where the gravy flavor comes from.
- Fry the eggs last, so the yolks are still runny when the plates hit the table. A runny yolk mixed into the gravy is the best part.
- Season the beef well before shaping. The gravy seasons the plate, but the patty itself needs salt and pepper all the way through.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition information is being calculated.
Substitutions
- Ground beef
- Use ground pork or a beef and pork mix instead, in the same amount. Pork makes a slightly sweeter and juicier patty.
- Beef broth
- Use mushroom broth instead, in the same amount. The gravy tastes a little earthier and still rich.
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Use crushed saltine crackers instead, in the same amount. The patty binds just as well and stays tender.
Storage and make-ahead
Store leftover patties, gravy and rice separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the patties and gravy gently in a skillet, and fry fresh eggs to serve. The rice firms up in the fridge, so warm it with a splash of water.
Frequently asked questions
What is loco moco?
A Hawaiian plate lunch of a hamburger patty over steamed rice, topped with a fried egg and brown gravy. It is cheap, filling comfort food, and a staple of Hawaiian diners.
What kind of beef should I use for loco moco?
Ground beef that is 80 percent lean. Leaner beef dries out, while fattier beef shrinks too much in the pan.
Can I make loco moco ahead of time?
You can shape the patties and make the gravy a day ahead, but fry the eggs fresh. The runny yolk is the best part, and it does not reheat well.
What do you serve with loco moco?
Steamed white rice and Hawaiian mac salad, the classic plate lunch pair. The mac salad cools the plate down against the rich gravy.
Can I use a different meat for loco moco?
Yes. Ground pork, chicken patties or even a slice of Spam all work in place of the beef patty, with the same egg and gravy on top.
