Dolly Parton’s ‘Special Ingredient’ for Better Salads Isn’t What You’d Expect

Dolly Parton’s new cookbook, “Good Lookin’ Cookin’,” which she co-authored with her sister Rachel Parton George, is filled with dozens of recipe gems. From their Mama’s Banana Pudding to many potato iterations—seeing as that’s one of Parton’s favorite foods—and the fan-favorite Dirt Road Martini, we’ve already dog-eared quite a few recipes in the book.

In addition to the Parton family recipes, the cookbook also includes tips from Dolly and Rachel that will take your meals to the next level. They share their favorite way to make a baked potato: cooked directly on the oven rack; their secret to a “family-favorite” meatloaf: using both ground beef and ground pork; and Dolly’s “special ingredient” that takes her salads over the top.

Dolly Parton's 1-Ingredient Secret for Better Salads

“Good Lookin’ Cookin’” is organized by month and is meant to be a guide to entertaining for every occasion—from weeknight dinners to holiday festivities. Each month features an entire menu, from the “Opening Act” appetizer to the “Encore” dessert.

February’s menu, as you can imagine, is all about Valentine’s Day. It starts with stuffed mushrooms, then moves onto a surf and turf steak and lobster dinner served with baked potatoes and Parton’s favorite salad, all culminating in a “Light My Fire” bananas foster.

While the buttery lobster and cheesy baked potatoes look delicious, we were most intrigued by Parton’s salad recipe and its secret ingredient.

Parton’s Garden Salad with Miracle Madness Dressing is unassuming at first glance. A five-ingredient iceberg salad topped with fresh tomatoes and homemade dressing that starts with Miracle Whip. However, there’s one ingredient that makes it the salad Parton’s family always asks her to serve—and it’s not the Miracle Whip.

“The little bit of sugar is kind of my special ingredient,” Parton writes in “Good Lookin’ Cookin’.” “It’s no secret now, though—all our secrets are coming out in this book!”

In addition to the Miracle Whip, which Parton says she’s “always loved the taste of,” she adds lemon juice, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of sugar to the dressing.

Parton’s dressing is similar to a seven-layer salad dressing, which also calls for a hint of sweetness from sugar. However, because Miracle Whip is sweeter and more complex than traditional mayonnaise—thanks to the addition of spices and, yes, sugar—Parton’s Miracle Madness dressing will have an even sweeter flavor than a seven-layer dressing.

To make Parton’s special salad, you’ll combine 1 cup of Miracle Whip, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2  teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Then chop one head of iceberg lettuce and add it to a bowl topped with the Miracle Madness dressing. Parton recommends covering the salad and refrigerating it until it’s time to serve; then, just before serving, add the fresh tomatoes.

We knew we liked Parton’s recipes for a reason—because even her greens need a healthy dose of sugar.