Want to bring the culinary excellence of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, to your very own kitchen? Dolly Parton’s Stampede soup will help you do just that!
This creamy vegetable soup is a beloved staple from Dolly Parton’s Stampede dinner show. It’s rich, velvety, and oh-so-satisfying.
With chicken, potatoes, veggies, and cream, it’s a delicious blend of comfort and simplicity that everyone will love!
Why You’ll Love This Dolly Parton’s Stampede Soup
Quick Comfort: This soup takes under an hour to prepare using basic pantry ingredients. It’s an excellent choice for busy weeknight dinners or unexpected guests.
Budget-Friendly: Those same pantry ingredients are simple and affordable. Plus, you can easily substitute them with frozen or canned veggies to further lower costs.
Rich, Creamy Texture: The butter-based roux and heavy cream create a luxurious, velvety soup. It feels truly indulgent, and every spoonful is satisfying.
Dolly-Approved Flavor: This soup has all the best seasonings, including garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and basil. They give it a well-balanced, savory profile that enhances the veggies’ natural sweetness.
Ingredients
- Veggies: Use a colorful mix of fresh (or frozen) veggies to provide nutrients, texture, and natural sweetness. The recipe calls for carrots, celery, potatoes, corn, green beans, and peas.
- Butter: For sauteing the veggies and adding a rich, buttery flavor.
- Chicken Broth: The soup’s flavorful liquid foundation.
- Seasonings: The aromatics include garlic and onion powders and dried thyme and basil. They add warmth, depth, and a distinct, savory earthiness to every sip.
- Heavy Cream: For a luxurious, creamy texture.
- All-Purpose Flour: It thickens the soup and makes it velvety smooth.
- Salt & Black Pepper: Season to taste.
- Fresh Parsley: An optional garnish adds freshness and color.
How to Make Dolly Parton’s Stampede Soup
Homemade soup recipes are generally pretty simple but often have loads of steps. But this one is super easy!
1. SAUTÉ the carrots, celery, and potatoes over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. MELT 3 tablespoons of butter in the pot. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk for 2-3 minutes until the roux is smooth and golden.
3. ADD chicken broth slowly, 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously. Once fully combined, bring to a simmer.
4. RETURN the sauteed veggies to the pot. Stir in the corn, green beans, peas, garlic, onion powder, thyme, and basil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
5. POUR in the heavy cream slowly, stirring continuously. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
6. SERVE hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Dolly Parton’s Stampede Soup
Okay, so these tips may not come straight from Dolly, but I still think they’re pretty good.
- Go big or go home. Remember, this soup will eventually all go in a single pot. So use one that’s large enough to hold everything.
- Take a shortcut. If you prepare them correctly, frozen veggies taste just as good as fresh. You’ll need a 15- to 16-ounce bag. Partially thaw and chop them for a more authentic texture. A 15-ounce can of mixed veggies will also suffice.
- Don’t blend or puree. Stampede soup is creamy but has plenty of chunky veggies. So, to keep the texture authentic, chop them finely, but don’t blend or puree them.
- Prevent a full boil. Keep the heat at medium and stir frequently. You don’t want the soup to reach a full boil, especially once you add the heavy cream.
- Go easy on the salt. Vegetable broth is already pretty salty, so you may not need a lot of extra salt. Taste the soup near the end of cooking. Then, adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Choose your consistency. Add more broth to thin the soup and extra veggies to make it thicker and chunkier.
Variations
I’ve also included a few of my favorite variations:
- Go vegetarian. For a vegetarian-friendly soup, skip the chicken broth. Use vegetable broth instead. It may not provide the same depth of savory flavor, but your soup will still be delicious.
- Bulk it up. Customize the soup by adding pasta or rice. You can add them with the veggies and seasonings and let them simmer in the broth. Or cook them separately and stir them in at the end.
- Choose your favorite veggies! Have a favorite veggie (or herb) that’s currently in season? Toss it in the pot! Soup recipes are infinitely customizable, which is why I love them so much.
- Pack in some protein. Shredded chicken and ground beef both work nicely in this recipe. Just be sure to cook them fully beforehand. Then, add them along with the veggies before simmering.
- Make it a true feast. Pair Dolly’s Stampede soup with garlic butter biscuits, buttermilk biscuits, crackers, croutons, cornbread, etc. Any thick, crusty bread would work nicely.
How to Store
Like most soups, this one stores and freezes well.
To Store: Refrigerate the cooled soup in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
To Freeze: Freeze the cooled soup for up to 3 months in airtight containers. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. (Note: Because it’s cream-based, the soup may separate slightly after thawing.)
To Reheat: Heat gently on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Avoid microwaving it, which can make it grainy.
More Hearty Soups for Chilly Nights In
Kielbasa Potato Soup
Roasted Tomato Soup
Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup
Cream of Asparagus Soup
Dolly Parton’s Stampede Soup
6
servings15
minutes40
minutes362
This copycat recipe for Dolly Parton’s Stampede soup is spot-on! It’s a creamy chicken and vegetable soup the entire family will enjoy.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken broth (use low-sodium if preferred)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
salt and black pepper, to taste
chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the diced carrots, celery, and potatoes. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, or until the veggies start to soften. Set aside in a bowl.
- In the same pot, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for about 1-2 minutes. Or until the mixture is smooth and golden in color. This roux will thicken the soup and give it a creamy texture.
- Slowly add the chicken broth, a cup at a time, whisking continuously to ensure it blends smoothly with the roux. Once all the broth is added, bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Add the sautéed vegetables, corn, green beans, and peas to the pot. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and basil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Slowly pour in the heavy cream, stirring well to combine. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Let the soup simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your desired thickness. Avoid vigorous boiling to prevent the cream from separating.
- Ladle the creamy vegetable soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot with crusty bread or warm biscuits. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use a large enough pot to hold all ingredients.
- Use frozen (or canned) veggies to save time. A 15- to 16-ounce bag/can will work nicely.
- Chop the vegetables for texture, but do not puree the soup.
- Don’t let the soup come to a full boil, especially after adding the cream.
