Loco Moco (Video) ロコモコ

1 week ago 18

An oval plate with white rice, a browned hamburger patty, a sunny-side-up egg, brown mushroom gravy, and chopped parsley, set on a light surface with a fork, knife, and a cup of tea in the background.

Loco Moco is a signature Hawaiian dish that is extremely popular on the mainland and in Japan. I grew up eating this Japanese-influenced dish as a child, and I love making it for my family today. I’ll teach you how to make this soul-satisfying recipe for a quick and hearty meal any time of day!

If you’re looking for more iconic Hawaii comfort foods, try my Tuna Poke, Poke Bowl, or Furikake Chex Mix next!

Table of Contents

A plate of white rice topped with a hamburger patty, brown mushroom gravy, and a sunny-side-up egg, garnished with parsley. A yellow checkered napkin and a glass of tea are beside the plate.

What is Loco Moco?

Loco moco (ロコモコ) is a staple Hawaiian plate lunch that’s also popular in Japan, where it is enjoyed in casual family restaurants (ファミレス) and at home. The word loco translates to “crazy” in Spanish, while moco translates to “burger.” There are many variations, but the traditional dish has steamed Japanese white rice topped with a juicy hamburger steak, flavorful brown gravy, and a fried egg. The egg is usually cooked sunny side up, so the runny egg yolk adds a yummy richness.

Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Why I Love This Recipe

Layered with flavor and texture – It’s a comforting combo of a perfectly pan-fried hamburger patty, rich and gooey egg yolk, fluffy rice, and velvety gravy.
Incredibly juicy and tender – I use my Japanese Hamburger Steak (Hambagu) recipe that combines ground beef and ground pork for added flavor and juiciness.
Satisfying any time of day – We always serve it for lunch or dinner just like the iconic Hawaiian plate lunch, but you can have it for breakfast, too!

Ingredients for Loco Moco

Japanese short-grain white rice – cooked; see my recipe How to Cook Japanese Rice
Ground beef and ground pork
Onion
Large eggs
Panko breadcrumbs
Milk
Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, butter, kosher salt, and black pepper
Gravy:
- White button mushrooms
- Beef stock
- Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper
- Olive oil – to cook the mushrooms
- Potato starch or cornstarch – for the slurry
Parsley – for garnish

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Jump to Recipe

Substitutions

Ground meat: I find the combination of two-thirds beef and one-third pork adds a richer flavor and enhances juiciness. You can use just one or the other, though the flavor will not be as balanced. If you’re short on time, you can use pre-made ground beef patties, although a homemade hamburger mixture gives a superior flavor.
Onion: I prefer sweet onions as the sweetness adds complexity. If you don’t have them, regular white onions or yellow onions will work.
Mushrooms: White button mushrooms are my preferred choice since they’re easy to find and caramelize well. If you don’t have them, brown crimini mushrooms will work.
Beef stock: Beef stock is more flavorful than beef broth, and it makes for a richer gravy. If you use beef broth, add more salt and/or Worcestershire sauce to achieve the same complexity.
Starch: This is for the roux that will thicken the gravy. I prefer the neutral flavor of cornstarch or potato starch, but if you don’t have either, you can use all-purpose flour instead.

A plate with a hamburger steak topped with brown mushroom gravy, a sunny-side-up egg, white rice, and garnished with parsley. A yellow napkin and a drink are in the background.

How to Make Loco Moco

Make the Patties

Mince and sauté the onions. Add them to a hot, well-oiled pan over medium-high heat and sauté until translucent. Turn off the heat.

Close-up of hands finely dicing a white onion with a large knife on a wooden cutting board.

Chopped onions being sautéed in a stainless steel pan, turning golden brown, with a wooden spatula stirring them.

Mix the meat and shape the patties. Combine the meat, panko, egg, milk, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and half the onions. Mix until sticky and pale, then divide into portions. Shape into patties and chill for 30 minutes.

A glass bowl contains raw ground beef, a cracked egg, grated cheese, seasonings, and a small amount of milk, ready to be mixed for a recipe.

A pair of hands shaping a ball of raw ground meat mixture, preparing it for cooking. The mixture contains visible bits of meat and fat.

Cook. Add the patties to a hot, well-oiled skillet and cook for about 5 minutes. Flip them and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Make the fried eggs.

Four raw hamburger patties are being arranged in a frying pan by a hand, ready to be cooked. The patties appear fresh with visible minced meat and seasonings.

Four hamburger patties are sizzling in a frying pan. One patty in the foreground is browned and cooked, while the others are still cooking. A bit of oil is visible in the pan.

Make the Gravy

Cook the mushrooms and gravy ingredients. Slice the mushrooms and sauté them in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining onions. Stir in the stock and gravy seasonings. Make a starch slurry, whisk it into the gravy, and simmer to thicken.

Sliced mushrooms being sautéed in a stainless steel pot, stirred with a wooden spatula.

A hand pours a white liquid mixture from a small glass bowl into a pot of simmering liquid on the stove, using a metal whisk.

Assemble

Portion and serve. Divide the rice into four bowls, top with the patties, gravy, and fried egg. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!

A close-up of a browned hamburger steak topped with onion gravy, served with white rice in a bowl. A spoon is pouring the gravy over the steak.

A spatula lifts a sunny-side-up egg onto a plate with white rice and a hamburger patty, forming part of a loco moco dish.

Nami’s Recipe Tips

Mix the meat until sticky and pale. – That’s how you’ll know the two meats and the seasonings are well combined.
Toss the meat from one hand to the other – Do this a couple of times to force out the air pockets inside. If you skip it, the hambagu will crack while cooking.
Chill the patties for 30 minutes – Rest the meat in the refrigerator so the ingredients meld and the fat solidifies.
Indent the patties when frying – After you put the meat in the pan, make a depression in the patty’s center with 2–3 fingers. This will keep the steaks from exploding or crumbling as the meat expands from the heat. The indentation will disappear once cooked.

A plate with a serving of white rice topped with a fried egg, a browned hamburger patty, brown mushroom gravy, and garnished with fresh herbs. A drink and a yellow towel are in the background.

Variations and Customizations

Use other types of ground meat. For a leaner option, you can use ground chicken or ground turkey instead.
Don’t enjoy runny yolks? While I prefer sunny-side-up eggs, you can cook them to suit your personal preference. I’ll often make scrambled eggs for those in my family who don’t like runny eggs.
Season the pork and beef patties. Add 1 Tbsp of minced garlic (or 1 tsp garlic powder) for an extra layer of flavor.

What to Serve with Loco Moco

This is a great all-in-one dish, though you can easily spice it up with additional courses and sides. Here are some of my favorites.

With side salads – Serve it Hawaiian plate lunch-style with Japanese Macaroni Salad and Japanese Potato Salad.
Alongside a fun beverage – Learn how to make my favorite Iced Hojicha Latte for a chilled, refreshing to accompany your loco moco!
With a sweet treat – My Butter Mochi is another classic Hawaiian comfort food that makes the perfect after-dinner treat.

Japanese Macaroni Salad in a blue and white bowl.

A bowl of Japanese potato salad with visible chunks of potato, ham, boiled egg, cucumber, and carrot, placed on a rustic plate beside wooden utensils and a beaded decoration.

Storage and Reheating Tips

To store: Store the cooled leftovers in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for a month (I do not recommend freezing the fried eggs).

To reheat: Reheat the patties and gravy on the stovetop over medium heat, or microwave in 30-second intervals until warm. The eggs should always be made to order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

You can make the pork and beef patties and gravy up to 3 days in advance and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. I highly recommend making the eggs and rice fresh so they are warm and have the best texture. Rice stored in the refrigerator gets dry and hard, and fried eggs will get rubbery if chilled. If you’re short on time, you can reheat frozen, cooked rice for this dish; learn how in my post How to Store Cooked Rice.

Can I make this without meat?

For a vegetarian version, you can substitute the beef stock for mushroom stock and the ground meat for a plant-based alternative.

1 onion (divided)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the Hamburger Steak

½ lb ground beef
¼ lb ground pork
⅓ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell)
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for cooking)

For the Fried Eggs

4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell)
½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for frying)

For Serving

4 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice (typically 1 cup (150 g) per serving)
1 sprig parsley (for garnish)

Please note that the hamburger patties require 30 minutes of chilling time before cooking. For the steamed rice, 1½ cups (2 rice cooker cups, 300 g) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yield roughly 4 servings (4⅓ cups, 660 g) of cooked rice. See how to cook it with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.
Now, gather all the ingredients.

To Sauté the Onion

Mince 1 onion finely. I use the mijingiri cutting technique.
Heat 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large pan on medium-high heat and sauté the onion until translucent.
Turn off the heat. Divide the sautéed onion to use for the gravy and the hamburger patties.

To Make the Gravy

Cut 6 button mushrooms into thin slices. Heat a small saucepan on medium heat. Then, add ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and the mushrooms and sauté until soft. Add half of the sautéed onion and stir together.
Add 1½ cups beef stock/broth, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp soy sauce.
Skim off the scum and foam from the surface with a fine-mesh skimmer. Then, season with Diamond Crystal kosher salt to taste and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper.
Make a slurry with 1 Tbsp potato starch or cornstarch and 1 Tbsp water in a small bowl and whisk well to combine. Pour it into the gravy and thoroughly mix together. Simmer until the gravy thickens, then turn off the heat and set aside.

To Make the Patties

Add ½ lb ground beef, ¼ lb ground pork, and the other half of the sautéed onion to a large bowl. Add ⅓ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell), 2 Tbsp milk, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper.
Knead together well using your hand until the mixture becomes sticky and pale. Then, divide into 4 portions for large patties or 6 portions for medium patties.
Toss a portion from one hand to the other about 5 times; this releases the air inside and prevents cracking during cooking. Then, make an oval-shaped patty with a slightly rounded top. Place on a plate or tray. Repeat with the other portions. Cover with plastic wrap and rest them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so that the meat melds and the fat solidifies.

To Cook the Hamburger Steaks

Heat a large pan over medium heat, then add ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Place the patties gently in the pan. (Fry in batches if you‘re doubling the recipe.) Indent the center of each patty with 2 fingers because the meat will rise with the heat. Fry them for about 5 minutes or until browned on the bottom. Flip over, then cover with a lid and fry until thoroughly cooked inside, about 5 minutes (depending on the thickness of the patties). At this time, reheat the gravy and make the fried eggs with 4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) and ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil.

To Serve

Divide 4 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice on individual plates. Transfer the patties to the plates, pour the gravy on top, and top each with a fried egg. Chop 1 sprig parsley and sprinkle on top for garnish. Serve immediately.

To Store

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for a month.

Calories: 571kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 294mg, Sodium: 614mg, Potassium: 707mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 375IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 5mg