Have you ever been to Hawaii? If so, then I bet you’ve eaten (or at least heard of) a popular local dish called a loco moco!
What Is A Loco Moco?
Brian and I were married on Maui in 2011 so Hawaii has a very special place in my heart. And one of my all-time favorite Hawaiian dishes is the Loco Moco!! If you have not tried a loco moco before, then just wait until you see what this recipe is all about: sticky rice topped with a hamburger patty and an over-easy egg and then smothered in delicious dark brown onion gravy.
Sounds pretty loco (crazy), right? No, it’s delicious!
Beef Gravy Mix
Gravies are notorious for containing gluten.
When I was at the Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest in Minneapolis this past May I ran across a company called Full Flavor Foods. They have a variety of dry soup stocks, cream and cheese sauces, and gravies. These mixes were created specifically for those with Celiac Disease and gluten intolerance but they can be loved by anyone! If you’re in the Twin Cities, I have found their mix packets at Lunds & Byerly’s and Hyvee. Here is a link to their store locator to find them near you!
I’m thankful to have convenience foods like this these easy gravies and sauces that make these nostalgic meals so easy to throw together at home!
Of course I had to try the Full Flavor Foods beef gravy mix to make a loco moco! We have run into issues in the past where we want to make these and then we can’t find any safe gravy mixes. That’s why it’s so great to find a brand you love and then have them on hand at all times! I was thrilled when I heard that all of the Full Flavor Foods mixes were perfectly safe!
And wait until you try them! To be honest, this meal is so flavorful that the only other seasonings I used in the whole dish were salt and pepper on both the burger and the egg. That’s it! The egg yolk and the gravy give enough to this loco moco that you don’t even need anything else!
Recipe Tips
To make the gravy for this dish, I first cut up about ¼ of a good sized white onion into thin strips. You can totally skip the onions if you don’t like them, but they add such a wonderful flavor to the gravy. I sautéed them in a saucepan with a little olive oil until they started to caramelize and soften. Then add in 1 ¼ cup cold water (just as the directions on the package calls for) and the dry brown gravy. I whisked it all together over medium heat until it started to thicken which will happen in about 6-8 minutes.
Do I have any tricks for frying eggs? I actually use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet for my eggs, but my tip is to make sure that you have enough oil in whichever pan you’re using and let it get hot before you add the egg. Especially if you’re using a non-stick pan. Then just let it cook! Don’t play with it too much while it is cooking otherwise it will just stick to the bottom and break apart when you try to move it. You’ll want to get your egg just right because the runny yolk really adds in another delicious creamy layer of flavor.
Loco Moco (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Hamburger Meat - Formed into 4 patties
- 4 Cups Cooked Rice - or 1 cup uncooked rice (then cooked to package directions)
- 1/4 Medium White Onion - Sliced into thin strips, not rings
- 4 Eggs
- 1 Package Gluten-Free Dry Beef Gravy Mix - Such as Full Flavor Foods Beef Gravy Mix
- 1 ¼ Cup Water
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil - For Onions
- Salt and Pepper - For Seasoning
- 2 Stalks Green Onions - For Garnish
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions. I like to use Jasmine rice because it has a stickier consistency.
- Form hamburger into ¼ pound patties. Season with salt and pepper on both sides and either pan fry or grill to your liking. After the hamburger patties are done cooking, you can set them aside until later when we plate.
- In a small saucepan, saute the onion strips in a couple tablespoons of olive oil until they start to soften and carmelize.
- In the same saucepan, make gravy according to package directions. For the Full Flavor Foods gravy mix you will add in 1 ¼ cup of cold water, the dry gravy mix and then whisk it together. Let cook on the stovetop about 6-8 minutes until it starts to thicken.
- While the gravy is cooking you can make your over-easy eggs.
- After all elements are cooked, then you plate. Start by placing one cup of rice on the bottom, then top with the hamburger patty, brown gravy and over-easy egg. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve hot!
You can PIN this recipe by clicking on the photo below:
Who else has been to Hawaii? Have you had a loco moco before?
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