Loco Moco 

Updated April 17, 2024

Loco Moco 
Romulo Yanes for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui.
Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
4(1,902)
Comments
Read comments

This classic Hawaiian dish is similar to Japanese hambagu, a ground beef patty topped with a ketchup-based sauce, but loco moco is heartier, served atop a pile of white rice, smothered with caramelized onion gravy and topped with a fried egg. People in Hawaii enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or any time in between. This version is adapted from “Aloha Kitchen: Recipes From Hawai‘i,” by Alana Kysar, a cookbook of Hawaiian classics. —Kiera Wright-Ruiz

Featured in: The 12 Best Cookbooks of Spring 2019

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
    Subscribe
  • Print Options


Advertisement


Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1pound ground beef, at least 15 to 20 percent fat
  • 1medium Maui or yellow onion, peeled (¼ of the onion chopped; ¾ sliced)
  • 2garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
  • 3teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
  • ½teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
  • tablespoons neutral oil
  • 8ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (optional)
  • 2cups beef broth
  • 2teaspoons soy sauce
  • 2tablespoons cornstarch
  • 4cups steamed white rice
  • 4large eggs, fried, sunny side up or over easy
  • 2chopped scallions, for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

745 calories; 37 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 18 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 66 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 35 grams protein; 1062 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by
Cooking Newsletter illustration

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, combine the beef, chopped onion, garlic, 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

  2. Step 2

    Form into four patties about ½-inch thick. Place the patties on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the sliced onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until almost translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring often, until soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

  4. Step 4

    Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat over medium. When the oil is hot, swirl the pan around to evenly coat it, then gently place the patties in the pan, spacing them out evenly. Cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Using a spatula, transfer patties to a clean plate to rest.

  5. Step 5

    Add the remaining ½ tablespoon oil to the pan and heat over medium until hot. Add the mushrooms (if using) and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper.

  6. Step 6

    Add the caramelized onions, beef broth, soy sauce and the remaining 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce to the mushrooms and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

  7. Step 7

    Place the cornstarch in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the broth from the skillet and whisk until smooth. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the skillet and simmer until the sauce has thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

  8. Step 8

    Place 1 cup steamed rice on each plate and top each serving with one patty, then the gravy, a fried egg and chopped scallions.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,902 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

I do not get all the gripes and snobbiness. People, you see the ingredients and preparation notes. If it appears lackluster then do not make it and proceed to write negative reviews. Just pass. It is after all about nostalgia for those who have eaten this as a native of Hawaii or a visitor. This dish has been featured on DDD several times and people rave. Just cook something else and stop being nasty.

Wait until your oil is hot-hot, add your egg to the pan and then spoon the oil on top of your egg while the bottom cooks, or butter if that’s what you’re frying with. I usually fry on medium to medium-high and it’s quick and perfect every time.

How do you cook a sunny side up egg to look like the one in the photo with its lovely crispy edges *and* the white cooked all the way up to the yolk? It looks like my ideal egg but I have trouble getting both qualities. Start slow, finish on high? Type of pan?

This turned out great for me- a novice chef! The hardest part was keeping all the components hot until plating time (a warm over helped). We slurped up nearly all the gravy (for 4) for two servings.

I made just the hamburger patty portion of this recipe because I had a packet of Loco Moco Gravy Mix (I know--sacrilegious) and it was great! This is simple and delicious!!

This was tasty! I just had an issue with the mushroom gravy. When I made the cornstarch slurry, following the directions in the recipe, I ended up with a gluey paste that was very difficult to get back into the pan. It clumped up and instead of thickening the gravy, I ended up with some little spongey cornstarch bits. Next time I would double the amount of liquid in the slurry

Private comments are only visible to you.

Credits

Adapted from “Aloha Kitchen: Recipes From Hawai‘i” by Alana Kysar (Ten Speed Press, 2019)

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.