Dolly Parton may be better known for her singing, but that doesn’t mean she never spends time cooking. Back in 2024, the country singer and her sister Rachel Parton George teamed up to release a cookbook, titled Good Lookin’ Cookin, in which they shared numerous recipes, including one for a delicious brocolli salad.
Introducing this recipe, Dolly wrote: “Salads are always good. I’m big on them, especially in the summer. My husband, Carl, likes salads year-round, and I can do a good salad whether it’s using all sorts of vegetables or just one. There’s nothing better than a summer garden salad, and this is a great one.”
This delicious recipe combines traditional salad ingredients, including broccoli, cooked bacon, and onions, with the less expected addition of raisins.
When the recipes was re-shared by EatingWell, it proved popular with fans, with one reviewer writing: “If you like sweet and savoury, then this salad is for you! It’s crunchy and sweet from the dressing and raisins, but has some nice salty hits from the bacon. It would be a great salad to serve with smoked pork!”
And sharing her thoughts on the recipe on SimplyRecipes, food writer Adriana Chavez, dubbed this “fresh, tangy, and sweet” salad her “new favourite.”
Ingredients (Serves eight)
For the dressing:
- One cup of mayonnaise
- Two tablespoons of cider vinegar
- Three tablespoons of powdered sugar
- One teaspoon of salt
- One teaspoon of pepper
For the salad:
- Eight cups of broccoli florets, or one large head of broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
- One medium sweet onion, chopped
- 1/2 a cup of raisins
- 1/2 a cup of coarsely chopped raw pecans
- Six slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
Method
Start by making the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, vinegar, powdered sugar, salt, and pepper. Then set aside until ready to add to the salad.
Then, in a large bowl, combine the broccoli, onion, raisins, pecans, and bacon. Drizzle with half of the dressing, stirring until well combined, and then add the rest of the dressing and mix again.
Either serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for an hour if desired. You can also leave it in the fridge overnight and serve the next day.