The subreddit Old Recipes is like stepping into your grandmother’s kitchen—filled with charming surprises, vintage cooking tips, and long-lost family treasures. It’s a nostalgic scroll through time, where retro favorites like Big Mama’s Secret Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake, refrigerator cookies, and Creme Bastarde resurface and go viral. Occasionally, you’ll even stumble upon a gem linked to a legend—like a coleslaw recipe from none other than Dolly Parton.
Not long ago, a Reddit user shared a magazine-clipped coleslaw recipe from their great-grandmother’s collection, and the author turned out to be Tennessee’s own Dolly Parton. The recipe originally appeared in the 1986 cookbook Cooking With Country Music Stars, which also featured dishes from icons like Reba McEntire, Tammy Wynette, and George Strait. A lifelong fan of Southern cooking, Dolly has shared her kitchen wisdom through various projects—from Duncan Hines baking mixes to freezer meals and her cookbook Good Lookin’ Cookin’, co-written with her sister Rachel Parton George.
How to Make Dolly Parton’s Coleslaw
What makes Dolly’s coleslaw stand out is one clever, unexpected twist: sweet pickle juice. This secret ingredient adds a tangy brightness that transforms the classic dish into something special. The recipe comes together in just 10 to 12 minutes and serves a crowd—10 to 12 people—making it perfect for potlucks and picnics. Alongside cabbage, Dolly combines sugar, onion, dill pickle relish, white vinegar, bell pepper, and of course, that splash of pickle juice for flavor.
Tips for Making Dolly Parton’s Coleslaw
Reddit users offered creative spins, like swapping mayo for full-fat Greek yogurt or using fresh ginger in place of onion. The recipe is flexible—Dolly’s coleslaw allows you to tweak the vinegar and pickle balance to suit your taste. So next time you’re heading to a cookout and need a show-stopping side, grab some cabbage and a jar of pickles—Dolly Parton’s coleslaw is sure to steal the spotlight.
