We Tried Dolly Parton’s 5-Layer Casserole, and Now We’re Making It on Repeat

ⓘ

back to content

Dolly Parton wrote and performed chart-topping country songs. She appeared on screen, wrote several books, and supported countless people through her charitable works. To us, though, Dolly was as famous for her chicken and dumplings as she was for “Jolene.”

This Dolly Parton casserole recipe is rumored to be one of her signature dishes. It’s jam-packed with potatoes, ground beef and vegetables to make the ultimate comfort food. It’s not fancy, but sometimes, the beauty of a dish is its simplicity.

How to Make Dolly Parton’s 5-Layer Casserole

Ingredients for Dolly Parton’s Casserole

• 3 large russet potatoes, sliced
• 1 pound ground beef, browned and seasoned
• 2 onions, sliced and rings separated
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1-1/2 green bell peppers, chopped
• Salt and pepper, generously to taste

Directions

Step 1: Prep the baking dish

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2: Layer the potatoes and ground beef

Spread an even layer of sliced potatoes at the bottom of the dish. Season with plenty of salt and pepper on top. Top the potato layer with the browned ground beef.

Step 3: Add the sliced onions

Top the ground beef layer with a layer of sliced onions and season generously.

Step 4: Add the diced tomatoes

Top the onion layer with an even layer of diced tomatoes and season generously.

Step 5: Top with the green peppers

Top the tomato layer with chopped green bell peppers.

Step 6: Bake the casserole

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake, covered, for 2 hours. Remove the dish from the oven, uncover and allow it to cool slightly before serving.

Have room for dessert? Serve Dolly’s cuppa cake from Steel Magnolias.

Here’s What I Thought

If you’re looking for cold-weather comfort food, this is it. Dolly Parton’s 5-layer casserole recipe is easy to follow and comes together quickly. The most time-consuming part is slicing and dicing the vegetables, but once that’s done, it’s up to the oven to do the majority of the work.

The most important thing to remember for this recipe is seasoning, seasoning, seasoning. The ingredients need salt and pepper to perk them up. You could also add garlic salt and herbs to switch up the flavor.

Be sure to season the ground beef while it’s cooking, and then continue with plenty of seasoning on each layer so you end up with flavor throughout. Dolly Parton definitely had a hit with this recipe, but it will be up to the seasonings you choose to make it a chart-topper!