Now, Parton is finally sharing her recipe with the world thanks to "Good Lookin' Cookin'," the new cookbook she wrote with her sister, Rachel Parton George.
I tested a few of their Thanksgiving dishes, including the holiday potatoes and sweet potato casserole. But it was the mac and cheese I was most excited to try.
Here's how it went.
Dolly Parton's recipe features three different types of cheese.Dolly Parton loves cooking, including mac and cheese.
Sebastian Smith
During our interview, Parton told me she loves adding fried apples to her mac and cheese for a "great taste combination."
She sticks to a more traditional recipe for Thanksgiving mac and cheese but still adds some fun ingredients.
To make Parton's mac and cheese at home, you'll need:
2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (8-ounce) block of Velveeta, cubed
2 cups elbow macaroni
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons butter melted, plus more for greasing
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon salt
Before I began cooking the pasta, I prepped all my cheeses.My shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
When I made "Next Level Chef" star Tineke "Tini" Younger's uber-viral mac and cheese recipe (it racked up over 92 million views), she instructed that you should never use pre-shredded cheese.
I have never forgotten that lesson, so I decided to shred both the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses for Dolly's recipe. But if you're in a crunch for time this Thanksgiving, I wouldn't worry too much about using pre-shredded!
I set aside some of each cheese for the topping. Then, I preheated the oven, prepped my pan, and cooked the pasta.My reserved cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
Per Parton's recipe, I saved ¼ cup of shredded cheddar and ¼ cup of shredded Monterey Jack for the top of the mac and cheese.
Then, I preheated the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and greased a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with butter.
I also placed a large saucepan filled with water over medium heat, adding a teaspoon of salt. Parton says to cook the macaroni for two to three minutes less than indicated on the package.
"Don't overcook and don't rinse," she adds. "Drain the macaroni well in a colander, return it to the pot, and add the olive oil. Gently stir to coat so the macaroni doesn't stick together."
While my pasta was cooking, I prepped the sauce.Making the sauce for Dolly's mac and cheese.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
Parton's mac and cheese is extremely quick and easy because you don't need to worry about making a roux on the stove.
I just added the beaten eggs, milk, sour cream, melted butter, and mustard powder to a large bowl and gave everything a good mix.
Then, I added the cheeses.Adding the cheese to the sauce.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
I threw in the cubed Velveeta, as well as the remaining shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and stirred everything together.
Once the macaroni was ready, I threw the noodles into the sauce.Adding the noodles to the sauce.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
I mixed everything together until the macaroni was nicely coated.
Then, I transferred my noodles to the pan, adding the reserved cheddar and Monterey Jack on top.I baked the mac and cheese for 25 minutes.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
Parton says to bake your mac and cheese for 20 to 25 minutes. You'll know it's ready when "the cheeses are bubbly," she adds.
I let my mac and cheese rest for 15 minutes to help thicken it before serving. The dish was an instant hit.Everyone loved Dolly's mac and cheese.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
I served Parton's mac and cheese to my boyfriend and friends as we tested some of her Thanksgiving recipes, and the mac and cheese was the clear favorite.
We all loved the delicious combination of the three cheeses, although my boyfriend thought there was just a tad too much Velveeta. The sour cream also added a lovely tang and satisfying creaminess to the overall taste and texture, and the mac and cheese still tasted just as good the next day when we ate our leftovers.
If you're looking for a delicious mac and cheese to celebrate this Thanksgiving, you can't go wrong with Dolly's.
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