Our vegetarian take of a beloved local Hawaii dish, featuring a veggie patty, sauteed onions & mushrooms, a sunny-side egg, and simple loco moco gravy over a bed of (brown, white, or fried) rice.
The best vegetarian loco moco recipe that will give you the satisfaction of comfort food, without the meat!
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| Time: | 45 min (10 prep, 35 cook) |
| Calories: | 793 (663 for single serving of rice, patty, egg + 130 per half-cup gravy) |
| Good For: | Lunch or dinner as comfort food |
We are lucky to live in Hawaii, where numerous cultures come together to come up with a stunning variety of food options. This is our vegetarian take on one of the favorite local staples, the loco moco.
What is Loco Moco?
Loco moco is a super popular dish in Hawaii that consists ofa hamburger patty topped with a fried or sunny side-up egg & gravy, all sitting on a bed of rice.
It is often served with a side scoop of macaroni salad, although you can substitute that for tossed greens if you prefer something healthier.
You can find it served in virtually every diner on the islands, and likely a variation of it at most other local restaurants.
Although loco moco is very much a Hawaii dish, it is not considered Hawaiian food. People of all kinds of races found their way to Hawaii over its history, so the local cuisine is influenced by numerous cultures.
Only the traditional foods of the indigenous Hawaiian people are referred to as Hawaiian food. Foods like loco moco that are popular in Hawaii, but are not the original fare of the indigenous people, are referred to instead as local food.
Loco moco is considered one of the most quintessential examples of local food, but can be made quite easily with common ingredients found outside the shores of Hawaii.
Ingredients
- 6 Morning Star Grillers Prime patties (or other patties of choice)
- 4 cups white rice* (measured before cooking)
- 1 medium yellow onion, julienned
- 8-10 white mushrooms, sliced
- 12 large grade A eggs
- 6 cups vegetarian mushroom gravy
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Supplies
- Rice cooker*
- Knife and cutting board
- Ladle
- Skillet pan
- 3-quart saucepan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula
- Cooking spray*
- Baking sheet
- Foil
- Stove
How to Make Vegetarian Loco Moco Recipe - Step by Step
Step 1. Cook rice* in a rice cooker*.
.Step 2. Preheat oven, place patties on a foil lined sheet, and bake according to package instructions.
Step 3. Make mushroom gravy.
Step 4. Combine mushrooms and julienned onions in a large saute pan with some cooking oil.
Saute over medium heat stirring occasionally for approximately 10 minutes or until everything is nicely browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and set aside.
Step 5. Cook eggs sunny-side-up, 2 per serving.
Step 6. In each bowl, lay out a bed of white rice and top with hamburger patty, mushrooms and onion, sunny-side-up eggs, and gravy. Serve immediately.
Tips & Uses
This dish was not originally intended to be the healthiest meal per se; however, you can make this dish more health-conscious by swapping brown rice* for white rice and omitting the egg.
Because this dish is traditionally carb-heavy, you'll probably experience what local Hawaii people call a kanak-attack.
This is when you've eaten so much that you start to feel incredibly sleepy. So, prepare to rest after this meal. It is highly advised not to eat this dish as a workday lunch, or else you will probably be very unproductive.
Variations & Substitutions
Popular local variations for the loco moco include using fried rice instead of plain rice, substituting chili or Japanese curry* for the loco moco gravy, and using over-easy eggs instead of sunny-side-up.
RECIPE CARD
Best Loco Moco Recipe for Vegetarians
Our vegetarian take of a beloved local Hawaii dish, featuring a veggie patty, sauteed onions & mushrooms, a sunny-side egg, and simple loco moco gravy over a bed of (brown, white, or fried) rice.
The best loco moco recipe that will give you the satisfaction of comfort food, but vegetarian!
Ingredients
- 6 Morning Star Grillers Prime patties or other patties of choice
- 4 cups white rice measured before cooking
- 1 medium yellow onion julienned
- 8-10 white mushrooms sliced
- 12 large grade A eggs
- 6 cups vegetarian mushroom gravy (see below for link to recipe post)
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook rice in a rice cooker.
- Preheat oven, place patties on a foil lined sheet, and bake according to package instructions.
- Make vegetarian mushroom gravy.
- Combine mushrooms and julienned onions in a large saute pan with some cooking oil. Saute over medium heat stirring occasionally for approximately 10 minutes or until everything is nicely browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook eggs sunny-side-up, 2 per serving.
- In each bowl, lay out a bed of white rice and top with hamburger patty, mushrooms and onion, sunny-side-up eggs, and gravy. Serve immediately.
Notes
Variations & Substitutions:
If you don't have time to make our delicious gravy from scratch, substitute with a super easy vegetarian gravy mix packet.
Popular local variations of a loco moco include using fried rice instead of plain rice, substituting chili or Japanese curry for the loco moco gravy, and using over-easy eggs instead of sunny-side-up.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 6Amount Per Serving Calories 663Total Fat 11.9gSaturated Fat 2.2gCholesterol 350mgSodium 478mgCarbohydrates 108.1gFiber 7.2gSugar 1.3gProtein 30.7g
Conclusion
Our vegetarian loco moco recipe delivers a level of flavor and satisfaction that is worthy of this comfort food so dear to local Hawaii cuisine.
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