Dolly Parton Coleslaw

When you want a truly authentic Southern side dish, this coleslaw is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Passed down from a grandmother who never used a cookbook, this is the one and only written recipe her family ever knew her to use. Southern ladies know their coleslaw, and this dish proves it with a unique, tangy, and deliciously creamy flavor profile.

The Secret Ingredient

What sets this coleslaw apart from standard deli versions is the ingenious use of sweet pickle juice. Instead of relying entirely on vinegar for acidity, the pickle juice introduces a complex, sweet-and-sour tang that pairs perfectly with rich barbecue or fried fish.

The Science of Mayonnaise

When making this recipe, it is absolutely crucial to use full-fat mayonnaise. If you attempt to use light or low-fat mayonnaise, the high acid content from both the vinegar and the pickle juice will break down the emulsion, resulting in a watery, unappealing dressing. Full-fat mayonnaise provides the necessary stability to keep the slaw perfectly thick and creamy even after chilling.

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Dolly Parton Coleslaw

Recipe by RecipesVilla

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

150

kcal

Ingredients

• The Vegetables:

• 1 medium head cabbage, minced

• 1 medium onion, finely minced

• 1 carrot, minced (or grated)

• 1/2 bell pepper, finely minced

• The Dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise (full-fat only)

• 1/4 cup sweet pickle juice

• 1/4 cup white vinegar

• 1 tbsp dill pickles, minced (or 1 tbsp pickle relish)

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

• Prep the Vegetables: Finely mince the cabbage, onion, and bell pepper. Mince or grate the carrot. Place all the prepared vegetables into a large mixing bowl.
• Make the Dressing: Add the full-fat mayonnaise, sweet pickle juice, white vinegar, minced dill pickles (or relish), sugar, salt, and black pepper directly to the bowl with the vegetables.
• Toss: Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly until the vegetables are completely and evenly coated in the dressing.
• Chill: Cover the bowl tightly and chill in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. This resting period allows the cabbage to soften slightly and the flavors to fully meld together.

Notes

• The Author’s “Tart” Variation: For a punchier, tarter flavor, the author highly recommends the following swaps: Use only 1/2 of a sweet Vidalia onion, substitute apple cider vinegar for the white vinegar, increase the carrots to 2, increase the black pepper to 1/2 teaspoon, increase the sweet pickle juice to 3/4 cup, and use 1 1/2 cups of full-fat mayonnaise.
• Mayonnaise Warning: Do not use light or reduced-fat mayonnaise! The acids in the vinegar and pickle juice will break it down into a watery consistency.
• Flavor Upgrades: Reviewers suggest adding 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds or 1 teaspoon of celery seed for an extra layer of savory flavor. If you find raw onion to be too overpowering, you can easily reduce the amount or omit it entirely.