This southern-style creamy coleslaw gets the seal of approval from Dolly Parton herself. The not so secret ingredient is dill pickles and their juice. This delicious one-bowl recipe is easy to make and comes together in no time!
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Why you should make this recipe
I learned about this recipe from the Epicurious Instagram page and website. I was intrigued by the addition of the pickle brine and wanted to try the recipe out for myself. It is creamy, tangy, sweet, sour and delicious. I suspect the recipe itself is quite common in the southern states and can't just be attributed to Dolly Parton alone.
- The ingredients are pantry and refrigerator staples. Nothing fancy for this coleslaw.
- It's delicious. Serve it as a side with one of my main dishes.
Do check out our other appetizer and salad recipe here. I also have a fun winter-style slaw recipe here.
Ingredients
For this recipe, you will need:
- Green or red cabbage
- Carrots
- Red bell peppers
- Red onions
- Dill pickles and their juice
- Mayonnaise
- White vinegar
- Sugar
- Salt and pepper
See the recipe card below for the quantities.
Instructions
This one-bowl recipe comes together in no time.
Start by mixing the dressing directly in the serving bowl. Combine mayonnaise, pickle juice, white vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar (optional).
To the bowl, add the remaining ingredients (cabbage, red peppers, onions, dill pickles and carrots). Toss to combine and adjust seasoning.
Top Tip: You can use a mandolin or box grated to make quick work of the carrots and cabbage.
Substitutions and variations
- This coleslaw recipe is not vegan, however, feel free to substitute mayonnaise with vegan mayonnaise or even coconut yogurt.
- The diced red onion can be replaced with scallions (green onion) for a less sharper taste.
- Pepper. You don't need to use red bell peppers. Any sweet pepper will work in a pinch.
- Spice it up. This Dolly Parton Coleslaw recipe can be made mild or spicy. If you like it with a little kick to it, add a few dashes of Tabasco sauce.
- Cabbage. Try it with purple cabbage too.
Storage
The coleslaw should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. It is best made the day you plan to serve it, but will certainly keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Serve
Serve this coleslaw on its own or as a side side or side salad. It's quite versatile and will pair well with vegetables, grilled or smoked meats and seafood. Try it as a side with Beer Braised Short ribs.
FAQ
This recipe appears in the Dollywood Presents Tennessee Mountain Home Cooking cookbook and is attributed to Dolly Parton herself.
The addition of dill pickles AND pickle juice gives the overall recipe a sweet, tangy, sour taste balancing all the flavors.
Cabbage, red onions, carrots, red bell pepper, dill pickles and juice, mayonnaise, white vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. See the full recipe for details and substitutions.
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Dolly Parton Coleslaw
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Pickle juice
- ¼ cup White vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sugar - Optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
Coleslaw
- 5 cups Cabbage - Shredded
- ½ cup Carrot - Shredded
- ½ cup Red bell pepper - Diced
- ½ cup Red onion - Diced
- ½ cup Dill pickles - Diced
- Fresh Dill - Optional
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add the dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.
- To the same bowl, add the remaining ingredients and toss to coat evenly. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Kaitlyn
So fun. Growing up we did pickle brine too!
Aimee
This is my new favorite slaw recipe! Thank you.
Luay
Glad to hear it!
Pat
Is there anything that could replace the mayo with? Have a child that can not stand mayo but would love the recipe…
Luay
You can maybe do a mixture of sour cream and yogurt. I haven't tried it though.
lin mac
How do you know this is Dolly Parton's recipe
Luay
I included references to this in the post above.