Hawaiian Brown Gravy (Loco Moco Gravy)

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Dreaming of a vacation but can’t get away right now? This Hawaiian Brown Gravy recipe, or Loco Moco recipe, will transport you to the Big Island. Loco Moco is beloved Hawaiian comfort food. It is a ground beef patty served over white rice, topped with a runny fried egg, and smothered with this rich and delicious gravy.

Over head of loco moco in a bowl.

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Loco Moco is a local Hawaiian favorite. Legend has it that it was created in the 1940’s at a diner on the Big Island. It’s often served for breakfast, but with the rice topped with a hamburger patty covered in delicious Hawaiian-style brown gravy, you can serve it for any meal you want.

The funny-sounding name for the dish comes from the Hawaiian words Loco – meaning crazy – and Moco – meaning burger. So… crazy burger. Once you try this Loco Moco Gravy recipe, you’ll be calling it Loco Ono Moco – which means crazy delicious burger.

If you enjoy this gravy recipe, you may also want to try my country white gravy, Swedish meatballs sauce and chicken marsala sauce. And if you can’t get enough of Hawaiian cooking – make up a batch of my Hawaiian teriyaki sauce or huli huli sauce.

Ingredients

This Loco Moco Gravy recipe comes together quickly with items that you likely have in your pantry.

  • Butter: Use unsalted sweet cream butter so you can control the salt in the gravy
  • Flour: All-purpose flour whisked with the butter becomes the roux which adds thickness to the gravy.
  • Beef Broth: The base of the gravy, providing rich flavor.
  • Ketchup: Adds a little zing.
  • Sugar: For a bit of sweetness.
  • Soy Sauce and Worcestershire Sauce: For umami and depth.
  • Heavy Cream: For a smooth and creamy gravy.
Ingredients to make loco moco sauce.

How to Make Hawaiian Brown Gravy

Loco Moco Hawaiian Brown Gravy can be made with ingredients you have on hand in about 5- 10 minutes. Must faster than a flight to Maui!

Hawaiian style brown gravy in a pan.
  1. Make a roux: Melt butter, whisk in flour and cook until golden brown.
  2. Add broth and other flavor ingredients: Whisk in broth, ketchup, sugar and Worcestershire sauce over medium high heat. Bring to a boil and then simmer until thickened.
  3. Add in soy sauce and cream.
  4. Season with pepper to taste and enjoy!

Hint: We tested this recipe with regular soy sauce so no additional salt was needed. If low sodium sauce is used, you may need additional salt.

If the gravy is runny, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water and whisk into the gravy. Bring to a simmer and stir until thickened.

Hawaiian brown gravy in a glass jar.

Make it Vegetarian/Vegan

If you would like to make this recipe vegetarian or vegan, I suggest the following substitutions:

  • Vegan Butter – Instead of butter use a vegan alternative.
  • Vegetable stock – Replace the beef stock with vegetable stock.
  • Cashew milk – Works as a great alternative to heavy cream but you can use your preferred dairy alternative.
  • Vegan Worcestershire sauce – Look for vegan alternatives to Worcestershire sauce at the market or make it at home.
  • Beyond meat patty – Use a meat alternative for the beef patty. We like the beyond meat patties.
Rice, beef patty, egg, and Hawaiian brown gravy in a bowl.

Equipment

This Hawaiian Brown Gravy can be made with only a skillet and a whisk. If you are also cooking a burger for Loco Moco, we prefer using a cast-iron skillet.

Storage

Once cooled, Hawaiian Brown Gravy can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or it can be kept in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tips

  • When making the roux, whisk it gently, but you want the flour and butter to foam. When the foaming subsides, the roux is done. If you don’t let it cook to the point where it foams, the flour will have a raw flour flavor which will come through in the sauce.
  • To make Loco Moco – place a burger patty over cooked rice and spoon gravy over the top. Top with a fried egg. It’s traditional to use a sunny side up egg but cook the egg however you prefer. Garnish with chopped green onion if desired.

Hawaiian Brown Gravy (Loco Moco Gravy)

4.41 from 27 votes
Rice, beef patty, egg, and Hawaiian brown gravy in a bowl.
Delicious Hawaiian brown gravy recipe to serve with Loco Moco! Whip up rice, a beef patty, an egg, and smother it with this homemade brown gravy that is rich and flavorful!
Sauce Fanatic
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Serving Size 4

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups beef stock
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
  • When the foaming subsides, add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until flour turns golden brown, about 30 seconds.
  • Slowly whisk in the broth followed by the ketchup, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook until gravy thickens, about 5 minutes.
  • Whisk in the soy sauce and heavy cream. Season with pepper to taste.

Notes

Soy sauce: The recipe was tested with regular soy sauce so no additional salt was needed. If using low sodium soy sauce, you may wish to add a little salt to taste.
Runny gravy: If the gravy doesn't thicken in step 3, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and whisk it into the gravy. Bring to a simmer, stirring until thickened.
To Serve: Place Hawaiian beef patty over rice, spoon gravy over the top. Top with a fried egg. It's traditional to use a sunny side up egg but cook the egg the way you prefer. Garnish with green onion if desired.

Make-ahead tips

  1. Refrigerate – Cool for 1 hour then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
  2. Freeze – Cool for 2 hours then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
  3. Reheat over low heat and add a little cream if the sauce is too thick.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 1004mg | Potassium: 390mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 425IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.

CourseDinner
CuisineHawaiian
4.41 from 27 votes (26 ratings without comment)

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6 Comments

  1. I love this recipe and loco moco’s. I have had them on every island, fancy and diner restaurants and this brown gravy is up there with all of them. Personally, I like a little onion power and Kitchen Bouquet for color. Thanks for sharing island recipes.

  2. This is nothing like the brown gravy for Moco Locos I had living in Hawaii. I was born and lived there. It’s insanely sweet and tastes like tomato. Cut the ketchup and sugar in half probably. I also had to add a crap ton of salt. Recipe didn’t specify to use salted or unsalted stock and butter and I used unsalted. I would give it 0 stars if i could. Tossed it and went back to the store to buy a McCormick Brown Gravy packet

  3. Made this and it was amazing. Kids that normally don’t like gravy loved ir also

  4. This recipe is nothing like any of the gravies I eat in hawaii

  5. Love your blog. Made loco moco gravy with veg. broth and was amazed at how good it was. I’m on a low salt diet so any ideas like that are great. thanx

    1. Sauce Fanatic says:

      That’s so wonderful to hear, Tracy! Thank you so much for making our recipes!!