I tried Dolly Parton's full Taco Bell order and found a new favorite menu item

Before I interviewed the queen of country music, I did a deep dive into her old interviews and discovered one from 2016 in which Parton revealed she loved going to Taco Bell for date nights with her husband Carl Dean. 

"Carl and I have a little camper, a little RV, and we're always driving through fast-food restaurants to get our stuff," she told Andy Cohen during a SiriusXM show. "I'm always in the front seat. Sometimes they know me, sometimes they don't."

I brought up the chain when Parton and I sat down together on Zoom, and she was happy to share her usual Taco Bell order. 

"I like soft-shell tacos," Parton told me. "I like the others, but they fall apart so bad, especially if you're riding around. So I always get a Taco Supreme, with the sour cream and all that, in the soft shell. I love that." 

"I get an order of rice and beans," she added. "And I get mild sauce. I don't like to get it too hot and ruin everything."

Parton is also a huge fan of the Mexican Pizza, and joined forces with Doja Cat in May 2022 for "Mexican Pizza: The Musical," which celebrated its permanent return to Taco Bell menus. 

"I was just one of many, many people that had missed them," Parton told me. "I'd just make them bigger so I could have more of it!" 

So I went to my local Taco Bell and ordered the Dolly special: a $5.39 Mexican Pizza, a $2.69 Soft Taco Supreme, and a $2.59 side of rice and beans. 

Per Parton's recommendation, I also only got mild hot sauce packets. 

I had never ordered the Mexican Pizza before it was removed from Taco Bell's menu, so this was my very first time giving it a try. 

The iconic dish features ground beef and refried beans sandwiched between two tortilla shells that have been topped with cheese, tomatoes, and pizza sauce. 

The Mexican Pizza has a great combination of texture and flavors. I loved the crispy tortilla base, which added crunch to every bite, and thought the beef was nicely seasoned and tasted delicious. 

I also enjoyed the fresh tomatoes on top and was a huge fan of the pizza sauce. My only wish was that the beef and beans had been more evenly distributed. While the slices I ate had plenty of beef, my parents — who were also trying Mexican Pizza for the first time — said they could only taste the beans. 

You can read my full review of Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza here.

The Soft Taco Supreme includes seasoned beef, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream. 

I usually don't go for tacos at Taco Bell — ironic, I know. In the past, I've been disappointed by the tacos' stale veggies or lack of flavor (the delicious Cantina Crispy Melt being a major exception). So I didn't have high hopes for Parton's beloved Soft Taco Supreme. 

But, as always, Parton didn't lead me astray. 

I was actually pleasantly surprised by the Soft Taco Supreme. The lettuce and tomatoes were crisp and fresh, the beef had great flavor, and there was a good distribution of ingredients. 

The Soft Taco Supreme is solid and reliable, so I'm not surprised that Parton is a fan. And adding some of her favorite mild hot sauce made each bite extra delicious. 

I've had plenty of rice and beans in Taco Bell's burritos, but never as a separate side. Both still had great flavor without the extra ingredients. 

The black beans were nicely cooked — not too hard, not too mushy — and the seasoned rice was delicious as always. My dad was especially surprised by how much he loved this side, and he kept going back for more forkfuls. 

The Mexican Pizza is such a fun and playful dish, with plenty of delicious flavor. It's perfect for an easy lunch or late-night snack, and I now understand why it has so many loyal fans. 

All of Parton's Taco Bell favorites are solid choices, but I can't say I'm too surprised. Parton clearly knows a thing or two about great food.