I Made Dolly Parton’s Dirt Road Martini, and Tea Drinkers Are Going to Love It

TASTE OF HOME, GETTY IMAGES

Published on April 18, 2025

Dolly Parton’s Dirt Road Martini offers a delightful twist on the traditional dirty martini.

Renowned for her roles as a singer, songwriter, actress, and author, Dolly Parton was named the greatest country musician of all time by Billboard in 2024. In addition to her musical success, she is recognized for her philanthropic work through the Imagination Library foundation, which has distributed over 270 million books to children globally. At Taste of Home, we admire her not only for her music but also for her culinary creations.

Dolly has shared numerous home-style recipes, from buttermilk biscuits to butterscotch pie and her famous chicken and dumplings. In 2024, she ventured into the world of cookbook authorship by co-writing “Good Lookin’ Cookin’: A Year of Meals” with her sister Rachel Parton George. This New York Times bestseller contains a year’s worth of recipes and entertaining suggestions.

One standout recipe from the book is Dolly Parton’s Dirt Road Martini, featured in the September section inspired by meals enjoyed on the road. This Southern take on the classic dirty martini includes vodka, unsweetened tea, and a touch of brine from a jar of giardiniera. According to Dolly and Rachel, the vibrant pickled vegetables in the giardiniera, used as a garnish, elevate the martini’s visual appeal.

To prepare Dolly Parton’s Dirt Road Martini, simply fill a mixing glass with ice and combine 2 ounces of vodka, 2 ounces of unsweetened tea, and 1-1/2 teaspoons of giardiniera brine. Stir well and strain the mixture into a lowball glass filled with ice. Finish by garnishing with a skewer of giardiniera pieces and Spanish Queen martini olives.

The resulting martini offers a distinct iced tea flavor, with the acidity of the zesty giardiniera brine complementing the tea’s bitterness. If you appreciate the taste of unsweetened iced tea and pickled vegetables, Dolly Parton’s Dirt Road Martini could easily become your preferred summertime cocktail.

Related:
– I Tried Dolly Parton’s ‘Stone Soup,’ and I Now Understand Why Her Mother Loved the Recipe
– A Guide to Ordering a Customized Martini Just for You
– Explore the Finest Recipes from Tennessee

For more information, visit us at Taste of Home.