A recent post on Reddit has brought back a forgotten recipe that once appeared in a 1986 cookbook, Cooking With Country Music Stars. The book included meals from several country icons, but the coleslaw recipe credited to Dolly Parton caught everyone’s attention.
It first appeared as a magazine clipping and now it’s making the rounds again, thanks to the subreddit “Old Recipes,” where users share handwritten notes, cooking memories, and recipes passed down through generations. This community often revives dishes from decades ago, and Dolly’s coleslaw has now joined the list of favorites like cinnamon poke cakes and refrigerator cookies.
Dolly Parton has a secret recipe for making coleslaw
The reason this recipe is gaining so much attention isn’t just because Dolly Parton wrote it. It’s because of one surprising ingredient that changes the usual taste of coleslaw: sweet pickle juice. The juice gives the salad a tangy flavor that stands out from other versions of the dish. Unlike most recipes that rely solely on mayonnaise and vinegar, Dolly’s version mixes in sugar, onion, relish, bell pepper, and sweet pickle juice for a sharper taste.
It takes about 10 to 12 minutes to prepare and can feed up to 12 people. Several Reddit users who saw the recipe offered ideas to tweak it, like swapping mayonnaise for yogurt or changing the vinegar levels depending on taste. The coleslaw’s simple method and strong flavor have made it a new favorite for home cooks looking for quick, tasty sides.
Dolly Parton has been making her own recipes for several decades
Dolly Parton has spent years sharing recipes, and coleslaw is just one of many. Over time, she’s released products through partnerships, including a line of baking mixes with Duncan Hines and a collection of single-serve freezer meals.
She also recently worked with her sister Rachel Parton George on a cookbook called Good Lookin’ Cookin’, which features Southern dishes from their family kitchen. Some of the meals in the book include barbecue ribs, ham and biscuits, and strawberry shortcake.