From savory ground beef and eggs to delicious French toast smothered in maple syrup, coconut, and pineapples, this list is full of breakfast meals that’ll make anyone’s mouth water. After high school, one of my best friends joined the Navy and found himself stationed in Hawaii. During our first phone call after his placement, I asked him what Hawaii was like and how different it was from where we grew up. His answer was simple: “Mostly, it’s just like being at home. Except everything’s better in Hawaii.” Hawaiian breakfast dishes contain much of the same food most people eat for breakfast – eggs, toast, oatmeal, pancakes, and fruit. But as my friend would tell you, it just tastes better in Hawaii. Upgrade your morning with these traditional recipes!
1. Hawaiian Loco Moco
Hawaiian loco moco – “crazy burger” – is one of Hawaii’s most well-loved breakfasts. There are plenty of different recipes floating around, but this one sticks closest to “authentic” loco moco. The dish consists of a bed of white rice, topped with a ground beef hamburger patty, sauteed onions, a fried egg, and warm, savory gravy. If you’re the kind of person who needs a massive, hearty breakfast to start your day, you’ll love loco moco. The carbs in the rice give you a quick morning energy rush, and the high protein content of the burger and egg will keep you going all day long.
2. Malasadas
If you like to start your day off with something a little sweeter, you’ll probably prefer this recipe for malasadas over loco moco. Malasadas are small, deep-fried yeast doughnuts covered in granulated sugar. They’re light, fluffy, and incredibly sweet. (They’re a lot like beignets.) Traditionally, malasadas don’t have a filling. If you like, though, you can stuff them with chocolate, caramel, cream, or anything else you enjoy in your doughnuts.
3. Hawaiian Banana Bread
Hawaiian banana bread is just as moist, filling, and tasty as traditional banana bread, but it has a few extras that make it even more enjoyable. In addition to the usual ingredients – bananas, walnuts, vanilla extract, and cinnamon – Hawaiian banana bread also contains maraschino cherries and a can of crushed pineapple. These two simple ingredients give it a sweeter, more tropical flavor, and it’s a flavor you won’t soon forget. The pineapples also provide additional moisture, so the bread is softer and more tender than banana bread made using other recipes.
4. Hawaiian Scrambled Eggs
You may be wondering why you’d need a recipe for something as simple as scrambled eggs, but these aren’t your everyday, run-of-the-mill scrambled eggs. They’re insanely fluffy and wonderfully cheesy, but that’s not all they have going for them. You’ll also notice a mild sweetness in them, thanks to the addition of pineapples and tomatoes. This odd combination of ingredients may not be for everyone. But if you’re the kind of person who enjoys pineapple on your pizza or eating apples and pears with cheese, you’ll love these eggs.
5. Hawaiian Oatmeal
If you’re looking for a way to add more flavor to your morning oatmeal, this is the recipe for you. It takes only 10 minutes to whip up, and it tastes spectacular. All you’ll need to make it are old-fashioned oats, water, your favorite sliced nuts, pineapple tidbits, and salt. To really knock it out of the park, though, you’ll also want to pull out the brown sugar and coconut (along with more nuts and pineapple tidbits) for additional toppings. This is one quick, hot breakfast you won’t want to skip.
6. Acai Bowl
Gluten-free and vegan- and paleo-friendly, this breakfast bowl takes only 5 minutes to make and requires no actual cooking whatsoever. It’s perfect for rushed mornings. All you’ll do is blend some milk, yogurt, a banana, and a packet of unsweetened frozen acai berry blend until the mixture is smooth. Then add your favorite toppings. The recipe recommends berries, nuts, and granola, but you can go as crazy as you like with your toppings. Just be sure you limit yourself on sugar and other things that would negate the benefits of such a healthy breakfast.
7. Pineapple Pancakes with Coconut Syrup
Pineapple pancakes. Pineapple. Pancakes. PINEAPPLE PANCAKES! How did I ever live without trying pineapple pancakes?! These fluffy, fruity flapjacks are 100% heaven-sent, and once you smother them in homemade coconut syrup… Let’s just say if I leave this world while eating this yummy breakfast, you can rest assured that I went happy and with a smile on my face.
8. Hawaiian Fried Rice
I wasn’t sure I’d appreciate fried rice for breakfast, but I should’ve known better. It’s Hawaiian fried rice, after all. For this yummy dish, you’ll combine rice, onions, garlic, bell peppers, ham, eggs, and pineapples with soy sauce, sesame seed oil, and hot sauce. The garlic, veggies, and soy sauce give you the traditional “fried rice” taste you’re accustomed to eating. The sesame seed oil, pineapples, and hot sauce add another level of complexity to the dish. The rice finds the perfect balance between sweet and savory and satisfies all your cravings at once.
9. Hawaiian Berry Smoothie
Not only are these berry smoothies delicious and nutritious, but they’re also gorgeous! Picture a side-by-side milkshake from Steak-n-Shake, only made with fruit instead of ice cream. Half of the smoothie is a lovely orangish-yellow color and packs a killer tropical mango punch. The other half is a stunning, rich violet that’s 100% berries. It takes about 10 minutes to make three smoothies, and each one is full of bananas, mango, oranges, orange juice, blackberries, blueberries, and more. Any day that allows me to cram that much fruit into my morning meal is going to be a wonderful day.
10. Hawaiian French Toast
I don’t know how they do it, but somehow Hawaiian chefs really do find a way to make everything better, including French toast, which I didn’t think could get any better! For Hawaiian French toast, you’ll use King Hawaiian sweet rolls instead of regular bread. Most of the other ingredients are essentially the same – butter, cinnamon, maple syrup, milk, eggs, and vanilla. However, in true Hawaiian fashion, you’ll also throw in some coconut and pineapples for a more tropical flair. As with most everything else on this list, the result is sweet, decadent, and delicious. Click on a star to rate it!
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