Did you know that Loco Moco, the classic Hawaiian comfort food, is just as popular in Japan? In my version, I top steamed rice with juicy, tender Japanese hamburger steak and a fried egg, then smother it in a savory mushroom gravy. A satisfying meal any time of day!
Loco Moco is one of the signature Hawaiian dishes that is extremely popular in the Aloha state and also in Japan. I grew up eating this Japanese-influenced American-style hamburger at family restaurants that served up amazing lines of comfort dishes. Yes, we love hamburgers in Japan.
These days, I love making loco moco whenever my kids have any sports activities and would get super ravenous for dinner. Juicy hamburger steak with fried egg and rice—that’s a combo to feed hungry kids!
Table of Contents
What is Loco Moco?
First, we must talk about the name, of course. How did a burger with a rice dish get this catchy name? What does loco moco mean in Hawaiian? Well, loco is the Spanish word for crazy and moco means burger.
According to one of the popular theories, loco moco was first made in the late 1940s by Ms. Nancy Inouye of the Lincoln Grill restaurant in Hilo, Hawaii. She was asked by a group of young surfers to make them something cheap, good, and extremely filling. Their request was met when she served them a dish with a huge plate of white rice topped with a burger patty and brown gravy!
Satisfied, the surfers named the dish after one of their buddies George Okimoto, whose nickname was “crazy”. George Takahashi, a student at Hilo High School, was studying Spanish at the time and decided to call it loco since it rhymes with moco. So, here we have the story of loco moco.
There are many variations of loco moco, but the traditional loco moco consists of white steamed rice, topped with a juicy hamburger steak, flavorful gravy, and a fried egg. The egg is usually cooked sunny side up so the runny egg yolk adds a yummy richness to the dish.
Besides beef patty, loco moco is sometimes topped with spam, shrimp, bacon, tofu, teriyaki beef and chicken too.
Loco Moco in Japan
Outside of Hawaii, loco moco (ロコモコ) is just as popular in Japan and usually served in cafe-style restaurants, yoshoku (Japanese-western) restaurants, or enjoyed at home. Since Hawaii is no. 1 travel destination for the Japanese, we naturally adopted this delicious dish and made it part of our menu.
However, the typical Japanese version of loco moco is served with thick “hambagu sauce”, which is made of ketchup and Worcestershire sauce (or tonkatsu sauce) instead of traditional gravy made of beef broth or stock. The recipe I’m sharing today is my own take on the traditional loco moco.
Why You Should Make this Recipe
- Incredibly juicy and tender hamburger patty! I use my Hambagu recipe for the meat patty which uses both ground beef and pork. The ground pork adds additional flavors and makes really juicy patties compared to using ground beef only.
- Caramelized onions for meat patties and gravy. This might seem like an extra step but caramelized onions add a big depth of flavor and sweetness to both meat patties and gravy.
- Easy to make and freezer-friendly! You can store the patties in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for a month.
How to Make Loco Moco
The Ingredients You’ll Need
- A combination of ground beef and ground pork
- Onion
- Egg
- Panko
- Milk
- Seasonings: Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, salt, pepper, butter
- Gravy: Button mushrooms, olive oil, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, salt, pepper, potato/corn starch
The Cooking Steps
- Caramelize the chopped onions and use them for both gravy and hamburger patties.
- Make the gravy in the pot and set aside.
- Make the hamburger patties. The way we make loco moco burgers is very similar to Japanese hambagu steaks.
- Cook the patties and serve with the gravy.
How to Serve Loco Moco
Serve steamed rice on individual plates. Transfer the patties to the plates, pour the gravy, and top with a fried egg. Enjoy immediately!
You can store leftover hamburger patties in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for a month.
Whether it’s for lunch or supper, this dish is very easy to make and will be ready in less than 45 minutes. It’s a wonderful comfort meal on any day of the week. I hope you enjoy my version of loco moco recipe.
Now, many of my readers are from Hawaii. What’s your favorite style of loco moco and how do you prepare it? Please feel free to share your recipe in the comment below so we all can try it out!
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Loco Moco
Video
Ingredients
- 1 onion (divided; for the patties and gravy)
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for sautéing the onion)
For the Gravy (make double if you like extra)
- 6 button mushrooms (3.5 oz, 100 g)
- ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ cups beef stock/broth
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt (to taste)
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp potato starch or cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp water
For the Hamburger Steak (Hambagu)
- ¾ lb ground beef and pork combination (a mixture of two-thirds ground beef + one-third ground pork)
- ⅓ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell)
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (for the patties)
- 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 (4⅓ cups, 660 g)
- 1 sprig parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. For the steamed rice, please note that 1½ cups (2 rice cooker cups, 300 g) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yields roughly 4 servings (4⅓ cups, 660 g) of cooked rice. See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.
- Mince 1 onion finely. To learn how to finely mince (called mijingiri in Japan), see my tutorial.
- 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 and use half for the gravy and the other half for 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 any foam or scum on the surface. Then, season with Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper.
- To a small bowl, add 1 Tbsp potato starch or cornstarch and 1 Tbsp water and whisk well to combine. Pour the starch mixture into the gravy and thoroughly mix together. Simmer until the gravy is a bit thicker. Turn off the heat and set aside.
To Make the Patties
- In a large bowl, add ¾ lb ground beef and pork combination and the rest of the sautéed onion. 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 until the mixture becomes sticky and pale. Then, divide into 4 portions for large patties or 6 portions for medium patties.
- For each patty, toss a portion of the mixture 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. The top should be slightly rounded and not flat. Place on a plate or tray. Repeat with the remaining portions. Cover the patties with plastic wrap and rest them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so that the meat combines well 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. (If you‘re doubling the recipe, fry in batches.) Indent the center of each patty with 2 fingers because the centers will rise with the heat. Cook the patties for about 5 minutes. When the patties are nicely browned on the bottom, flip them over. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes to thoroughly cook the inside, adjusting the cooking time depending on the thickness of the patties. At this time, you can 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.
Nutrition
This was so good. Never would have thought to put nutmeg in a hamburger patty, but it was freakin’ delicious! I did them in my air fryer. My family wanted more gravy though, so next time I would definitely make double. 😁
Hi Kendra! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! Yes, nutmeg is pretty common in Hambagu. 🙂 And I highly recommend saving the grease to make that AMAZING sauce! 🙂
Just made this for dinner. All I had on hand was beef, but it still turned out well. Will be making this again
Hi Jillian! Thank you for trying this recipe! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it. 🙂
Absolutely delicious and will definitely be in our family’s meal rotation! Reminded us of the loco moco we had in Hawaii and we couldn’t help but serve ourselves seconds.
Hi Kristina! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback. I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
Hello!
Do you use Japanese Worcestershire or American?
Thank you!
Hi Emily! I have both in my fridge, and to be honest, I don’t quite remember which one I used… The American one is sourer, but it only uses 1 tsp, so I think it’s not hugely impacted either way… I’m sorry I will start writing down which one I used in future recipes. Usually, I recommend adding sugar if you use American one, but with 1 tsp, I think it’s not necessary, especially with this recipe.
Thank you for the fast reply! I didn’t notice it was such a small amount lol. I am making it right now 🙂 really appreciate you taking the time to reply!
No problem! I was just responding to readers comments and saw yours coming in. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the recipe!
First try. Good but next time the gravy gets some garlic and the burgers get a few slices of bacon.
Hi Jack! Oh, that sounds FANTASTIC!!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe!
I just made this tonight and it’s sooo good that it wasn’t enough. My son said to make double the recipe next time. Thank you for this recipe! 🙂
Hi Juliana! Aww I’m so happy to hear your son enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂
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Hi, Nami.
I wonder, why don’t you put the steps for making patties before the making of gravy? Is there any certain reason? I’m thinking, wouldn’t it be more practical to prepare the gravy while the patties are in the fridge?
Regards,
Shuni
Hi Shuni! You can do that if you can let your sauteed onion cool faster. You can’t mix the hot onion with raw meat. That’s the only reason why I start making the gravy first. 🙂
Hi, Nami.
Do you not mix hot onion with raw meat because of safety reason?
Hi Shuni! Yes, if you cook it right away, maybe you don’t worry too much, but in my case, I always rest the meat so it’s not good to combine raw meat and hot food. 🙂
Hi, Nami. I get your point. That’s why I suspected you must have had a reason when you put down the orders. Thank you. I had never been concerned about combining hot stuff with raw meat. I also rest my patties in the fridge like suggested on your recipe.
By the way, I have also tried this recipe with spaghetti instead of rice and find it even more yummy.
Hi Shuni! Food spoiling starts when the raw meat contact with hot food and it creates this “warm” area where bacteria likes to form. So it’s best to avoid that condition. Like I said, if you were going to cook right away, then the meat temperature will go up and there will be no “warm” stage. But if you plan to set aside, etc, it’s best to mix the similar temperature ingredients. 🙂
Oh yes, I can imagine how delicious it is with spaghetti! 🙂
Thank you, Nami. Hadn’t I dropped a comment, I would have been forever careless about letting my raw meat getting in contact with hot food.
Hi Shuni! Aww thanks for your kind note! xoxo
[…] Adapted from Just One Cookbook […]
[…] Loco Moco […]
Born and raised in Hawaii. Eat this a lot you can supercharge it when at home to make it bomb.com Try hapa rice. Half white half brown. Use elk, lamb, venison or other gamey meat for a burger instead of beef For vegetables, I use onions and mushrooms cooked with meat to make gravy. But I also add microwaved steamed slices of tomato and spinach during dish composition at the end. For egg its best to have 3 per burger and it must be soft in the yolk. Microwaved poached eggs work epic too. Meatballs work just as good as a burger for meat shape and are easyer to portion.
Hi Cole! Thank you so much for sharing your tip – it certainly sounds delicious!!!!
Hi, can I put the patties in an oven? Do you know at what temp and duration?
Hi Thuy! I haven’t done it before…so I am not 100% sure what’s the best way to get the outcome. You probably should cover with foil to make sure inside is juicy and not dry. Maybe start with 350F and end with higher temp to make nice crust/brown on top? If you sear both sides of patties first before throwing into the oven, then I think you can do 400F.
Great, thank you!
Hi Nami! Thanks so much for this delicious recipe. I’ve made it once before and it is sooo good. I want to make this again and am wondering: I don’t currently have beef broth in the pantry, can I substitute it with chicken broth instead, or will it ruin the taste? Thanks so much!
Hi Viola! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! Chicken broth will be okay – the taste will be slightly different but I think it’ll work okay.
Thank you so much, Nami! I made it with chicken broth, and it is still super delicious, but you’re right, the taste is different and I think it’s more flavorful/works slightly better with beef broth (and why your recipe calls for it!). Anyway, this is one of my favorite recipes and every one of your recipes I’ve made has turned out perfectly — your flavoring and portions are just on point!
Hi Viola! Thanks for sharing your feedback on chicken broth. Yeah it gives “savory” factor but beef/pork recipe, and heavily on beef taste, so I think beef stock matches best. I’m glad we share similar tastebud and enjoy my recipes. Thank you for your encouraging words and support! xo
Your recipe for Loco Moco is absolutely DELICIOUS! So easy to make and ingredients I always have on hand will have this one appearing on our menu again soon! I wondered about the nutmeg and the Worcestershire sauce as I thought they might be really strong flavours but they didn’t take over at all. Thanks for sharing this recipe and all of the rest, Namiko! You’re keeping our meals interesting and expanding our menu choices!
Hi Gayle! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. 🙂 Yeah nutmeg is important in making hambagu in Japan…so I added. 😀 Thank you for your encouragement!
When I lived on Oahu the version of this dish that I commonly ate used a breaded pork or chicken cutlet over rice instead of beef, a sunny-side or over medium egg smothered with thick brown gravy, and two fried spam slices on the side. I didn’t even know they came beef-paddy style until I saw this page.
Hi Sam! Sounds like what you had is Tonkatsu or Chicken Katsu version with Tonkatsu sauce. 🙂 The traditional loco moco consists of white rice, topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg, and brown gravy. 🙂