Can I make Hawaiian Loco Moco ahead of time?

Yes! Cook the rice, patties, and gravy ahead. Store them separately. When you’re ready to eat, reheat and cook fresh eggs right before serving (fresh eggs make it feel brand new).

How do I store leftovers?

Keep rice, patties, and gravy in airtight containers in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of beef stock for the gravy. Eggs are best made fresh, but if you have leftover eggs, they’ll still reheat—just don’t expect the yolk to stay runny.

Can I swap the ground beef for something else?

Totally. Ground turkey works well, and so does ground chicken. You’ll still get that classic Hawaiian Loco Moco vibe—especially with the gravy and egg doing their delicious thing.

What if I don’t have shoyu?

Regular soy sauce works just fine. Shoyu is a Japanese-style soy sauce that’s super common in Hawaiian cooking, but you don’t need to make a special trip for it.

How do I keep the patties from drying out?

Don’t overmix the meat, and don’t overcook. Also, the gravy helps a lot—this is not a “dry burger” kind of meal.

7 Irresistible Hawaiian Loco Moco Secrets

Description

Hawaiian Loco Moco is the ultimate comfort-food stack: fluffy white rice topped with a juicy beef patty, rich brown gravy, and a golden fried egg. Cozy, hearty, and weeknight-friendly.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Rice

2 cups white medium grain rice
2 cups water

For the Brown Gravy

2 cups beef stock
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon shoyu (soy sauce)
1 teaspoon beef bouillon paste
1 tablespoon heavy cream

For the Burger Patties

2 pounds ground beef
1 large egg
¼ cup onion, diced
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Eggs

6 large eggs
Cooking oil of choice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Cook the Rice

Rinse the rice under cool water until the water runs clear.
Add rice and water to a rice cooker and cook until done (or cook on the stovetop until tender).

Make the Brown Gravy

In a pot, whisk together beef stock, cornstarch, onion powder, shoyu, and beef bouillon paste.
Cook over medium heat, whisking often, until thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream.

Prepare the Burger Patties

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, egg, diced onion, panko, ketchup, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper.
Mix just until combined and form into patties.
Cook patties over medium-high heat until browned and fully cooked, flipping once.

Cook the Eggs

Heat a little oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Crack in the eggs, season with salt and pepper, and cook until whites are set and edges are browned.
Flip gently for over-easy eggs (or leave sunny-side up if preferred).

Assemble

Scoop rice onto each plate, top with a burger patty, spoon gravy over the top, and finish with a cooked egg. Serve immediately.

Notes

Extra gravy tip: If you love it saucy, double the gravy ingredients—no regrets.

Egg doneness: Over-easy gives you that dreamy yolk + gravy combo, but fully cooked works great for picky eaters.

Make-ahead: Rice, patties, and gravy can be made ahead and reheated. Cook eggs fresh right before serving.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop (Rice Cooker optional)
Cuisine: Hawaiian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 plate (1/6 of recipe)
Calories: 800 kcal
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 1050 mg
Fat: 39 g
Saturated Fat: 14 g
Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 62 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 33 g
Cholesterol: 235 mg