This Easy Loco Moco Recipe layers steamed white rice with juicy seasoned beef patties, rich brown onion gravy, and fried eggs. The combination is savory and filling, with fluffy rice soaking up the beefy gravy while the egg adds extra richness.
Each component is made on the stovetop, and the beef drippings become the base of the gravy for deeper flavor. The rice rests briefly after cooking, while the patties and gravy can be prepared in the same skillet to keep cleanup manageable.
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Additional Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 loco moco plates
- Servings: 4
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
- Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Forming relatively thin beef patties helps them brown well while cooking evenly through the center.
- Cooking the onions in the beef drippings gives the gravy more savory flavor without requiring a separate sauce base.
- A flour roux thickens the broth into gravy that coats the patties and rice instead of running off the plate.
- Resting the cooked rice for 10 minutes allows excess steam to redistribute for fluffier grains.
- Cooking the eggs last keeps them warm and prevents the yolks from setting further while the other components are prepared.
Equipment Needed
- Medium saucepan with tight-fitting lid, for the rice
- 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula
- Wide spatula
- Instant-read meat thermometer
Ingredients You'll Need
For the Rice
- ⭐ 1 1/2 cups (300 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed until the water runs mostly clear
- ⭐ 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) water
- ⭐ 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
For the Beef Patties
- ⭐ 1 pound (450 g) ground beef, 85% lean
- ⭐ 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- ⭐ 1 teaspoon (5 ml) soy sauce
- ⭐ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ⭐ 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- ⭐ 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⭐ 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- ⭐ 1 teaspoon (5 ml) neutral oil, if needed for the skillet
For the Onion Gravy
- ⭐ 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
- ⭐ 1 medium yellow onion, about 6 ounces (170 g), thinly sliced
- ⭐ 2 tablespoons (15 g) all-purpose flour
- ⭐ 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth
- ⭐ 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- ⭐ 1 teaspoon (5 ml) soy sauce
- ⭐ 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⭐ 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more if needed
For the Fried Eggs
- ⭐ 4 large eggs
- ⭐ 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
Optional Garnishes
- ⭐ 2 green onions, thinly sliced, optional
- ⭐ 1 tablespoon (4 g) chopped fresh parsley, optional
How to Make Loco Moco with Beef Gravy and Fried Eggs
Cook the Rice
Combine the rinsed rice, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir once, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 15 to 18 minutes, until the water is absorbed.
Rest the Rice
Remove the saucepan from the heat without lifting the lid. Let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork before serving.
Season the Beef
While the rice cooks, place the ground beef in a large bowl. Add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. Mix gently just until the seasonings are distributed.
Shape the Patties
Divide the beef mixture into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion into a patty about 4 inches (10 cm) wide and 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Press a shallow indentation into the center of each patty to reduce doming during cooking.
Heat the Skillet
Place a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. If the beef is very lean or the skillet is not well seasoned, add the neutral oil.
Cook the First Side
Add the patties in a single layer. Cook without moving them for 3 to 4 minutes, until the undersides are deeply browned and release easily from the skillet.
Finish the Patties
Turn the patties and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, until browned and the centers reach 160°F (71°C). Transfer the patties to a clean plate and cover loosely to keep warm.
Cook the Onions
Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Pour off excess grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Add the butter and sliced onion. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and golden.
Make the Roux
Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir continuously for 1 minute. The onions should look lightly coated, with no dry flour remaining.
Add the Broth
Gradually whisk in about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the beef broth until smooth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Slowly whisk in the remaining broth.
Season and Thicken the Gravy
Add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the gravy thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Return the Patties to the Gravy
Place the cooked beef patties back into the skillet and spoon some gravy over them. Keep warm over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes while cooking the eggs.
Fry the Eggs
Melt the butter in a clean skillet over medium-low heat. Crack in the eggs and cook until the whites are fully set and the yolks reach the desired doneness. For fully cooked eggs, continue until the yolks reach 160°F (71°C). For soft yolks, use pasteurized eggs.
Assemble the Loco Moco
Divide the warm rice among four plates or shallow bowls. Place one beef patty over each portion of rice.
Add the Gravy and Eggs
Spoon the hot onion gravy generously over each beef patty and some of the rice. Top each serving with one fried egg.
Garnish and Serve
Sprinkle with sliced green onions and parsley, if using. Serve immediately while the gravy and rice are hot.
Tips for Success
- Make the patties slightly wider than you want them after cooking because they shrink as they brown.
- Leave the browned bits in the skillet when making the gravy; they provide much of its savory flavor.
- Add the broth gradually while whisking so the gravy stays smooth and free of flour lumps.
- Cook the eggs after the gravy is finished so they can go directly from the skillet onto the hot plates.
Storage, Freezing, and Make-Ahead Instructions
Cool leftover Loco Moco promptly and refrigerate the rice, patties, and gravy in airtight containers within 2 hours of cooking. Store for up to 4 days. For the best texture, prepare fresh fried eggs when serving leftovers rather than storing cooked eggs.
Reheat the beef patties and gravy together in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, adding a splash of beef broth if the gravy has thickened. Heat until the beef reaches 165°F (74°C).
Reheat the rice separately with 1 to 2 teaspoons of water sprinkled over each serving. Cover and heat until steaming and at least 165°F (74°C).
The cooked beef patties and gravy can be frozen together in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Cook fresh rice and eggs for serving when possible.
For make-ahead preparation, form the raw patties up to 1 day ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. The onion gravy can also be prepared 1 day ahead and reheated gently before serving.
FAQ
Can I make this Easy Loco Moco Recipe ahead of time?
Yes. Cook the beef patties and gravy up to 1 day in advance and refrigerate them separately or together. Reheat gently and prepare fresh rice and fried eggs shortly before serving.
Can I make loco moco without onions?
Yes. Omit the sliced onion and prepare the gravy directly in the beef drippings with butter, flour, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. The gravy will be smoother and slightly less sweet.
Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?
Yes. Substitute 1 pound (450 g) ground turkey and cook the patties to 165°F (74°C). Turkey is leaner, so use the neutral oil and expect a lighter-tasting gravy.
Why is my gravy too thin?
It may not have simmered long enough after the broth was added. Continue simmering gently for several minutes. If necessary, let it reduce uncovered until it coats the back of a spoon.
Can I use leftover cooked rice?
Yes. You will need about 4 1/2 cups (about 700 g) cooked rice. Reheat it thoroughly before assembling the plates and omit the rice cooking and resting steps.
Loco Moco with Beef Gravy and Fried Eggs
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the rice: Combine the rinsed rice, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir once, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 15 to 18 minutes, until the water is absorbed.
- Rest the rice: Remove the saucepan from the heat without lifting the lid. Let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork before serving.
- Season the beef: While the rice cooks, place the ground beef in a large bowl. Add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. Mix gently just until the seasonings are distributed.
- Shape the patties: Divide the beef mixture into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion into a patty about 4 inches (10 cm) wide and 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Press a shallow indentation into the center of each patty to reduce doming during cooking.
- Heat the skillet: Place a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. If the beef is very lean or the skillet is not well seasoned, add the neutral oil.
- Cook the first side: Add the patties in a single layer. Cook without moving them for 3 to 4 minutes, until the undersides are deeply browned and release easily from the skillet.
- Finish the patties: Turn the patties and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, until browned and the centers reach 160°F (71°C). Transfer the patties to a clean plate and cover loosely to keep warm.
- Cook the onions: Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Pour off excess grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Add the butter and sliced onion. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and golden.
- Make the roux: Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir continuously for 1 minute. The onions should look lightly coated, with no dry flour remaining.
- Add the broth: Gradually whisk in about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the beef broth until smooth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Slowly whisk in the remaining broth.
- Season and thicken the gravy: Add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the gravy thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Return the patties to the gravy: Place the cooked beef patties back into the skillet and spoon some gravy over them. Keep warm over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes while cooking the eggs.
- Fry the eggs: Melt the butter in a clean skillet over medium-low heat. Crack in the eggs and cook until the whites are fully set and the yolks reach the desired doneness. For fully cooked eggs, continue until the yolks reach 160°F (71°C). For soft yolks, use pasteurized eggs.
- Assemble the loco moco: Divide the warm rice among four plates or shallow bowls. Place one beef patty over each portion of rice.
- Add the gravy and eggs: Spoon the hot onion gravy generously over each beef patty and some of the rice. Top each serving with one fried egg.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with sliced green onions and parsley, if using. Serve immediately while the gravy and rice are hot.
