Loco Moco!

Loco Moco

When the weather turns crisp and fall comfort food calls, nothing satisfies quite like the Hawaiian classic Loco Moco. This hearty dish layers white rice with a juicy ground beef patty, savory gravy, and a fried egg on top. Simple, filling, and family-friendly, it’s made with ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. The secret is using high-quality ground beef, since it’s both the star of the plate and the base of the rich gravy.

Ingredients

For the Beef:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1–2 Tbsp olive oil or beef tallow (for skillet)
• Salt & pepper to season burger patties

For the Gravy:

• 1 sweet onion (yellow works too)
• 1 cup mushrooms (optional)
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp ketchup
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour (or cornstarch as alternative)

Other Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice (Calrose or Jasmine preferred)
• 6 eggs (sunny side up or over-easy)

Instructions

1. Cook the Rice

• Rinse rice thoroughly. Use 1 cup water per 1 cup rice.
• Cook in an Instant Pot for perfectly sticky rice, or use stovetop method.

2. Form and Cook the Patties

• Shape beef into 4–6 oz patties, about ½ inch thick. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat cast iron skillet on high with oil or beef tallow.
• Sear patties 3–4 minutes per side until cooked through (about 150°F internal temp for medium-well).
• Cook in batches if necessary. Remove patties and keep warm.

3. Prepare the Gravy Base

• Lower heat to medium-low. Add onions and mushrooms to rendered beef fat.
• Cook until caramelized, then remove and set aside.
• Remove excess fat from skillet, leaving about 2–3 Tbsp.
• Add butter and flour, stirring for 1–2 minutes to form a golden roux.
• Whisk in beef broth, soy sauce, ketchup, and Worcestershire.
• Stir until gravy thickens, then return onions and mushrooms. Adjust salt if needed.

4. Cook the Eggs

• In a separate pan, fry eggs sunny side up or over-easy.
• Plan for 1 egg per burger patty.

5. Assemble the Dish

• Place a portion of rice on each plate.
• Top with a beef patty, spoon over rich gravy, and finish with a fried egg.
• Serve hot and enjoy!

Optional Variations:

• Use a store-bought gravy packet for convenience.
• Thicken gravy with cornstarch slurry instead of roux.
• Grill patties instead of pan-searing for smoky flavor.