Dolly Parton's Stampede Soup is the fall recipe I've been craving all season.

Dolly Parton’s Stampede in Branson, Missouri, is a dinner show that combines horses, trick riders, and music. But it’s the four-course meal served alongside that steals the spotlight. While the rotisserie chicken and smoked pork loin are crowd-pleasers, it’s the creamy vegetable soup that gets all the praise. Curious about how to make this beloved soup at home, I scoured the internet for the recipe.

What exactly is Dolly Parton’s Stampede Soup?

It’s just what it sounds like—a creamy, vegetable-filled soup. Served as the first course at the Stampede, this surprisingly simple dish has sparked countless copycat recipes online. While I couldn’t find an official recipe from Dolly or her team, you can purchase a pre-made 'creamy soup mix' online or at the show. But to get your hands on the true recipe, you may need to have a few connections.

How to Make This Creamy Vegetable Soup

After trying several online recipes, I finally devised a plan. Most recipes began with making a basic roux, so I followed suit. I melted butter, added flour, and whisked it for 4 to 5 minutes until it was cooked through before moving on with the rest of the recipe. Then, I added seasonings (onion and garlic powder), chopped, sautéed vegetables, and broth. I let everything simmer before finishing it off with a splash of cream.

Stampede Soup Taste Test

The soup was creamy and flavorful, but it lacked the richness I was hoping for. This was probably due to the short cooking time and the lack of fresh aromatics like whole onions and garlic. It tasted fine, but I knew it needed some tweaks to reach its full potential. After all, I wanted to make Dolly proud!

How I Tweaked the Recipe

Step 1: Make the roux, but do it better. While many recipes call for margarine, I know butter makes everything taste better, so that’s what I used. I also made sure to cook the roux for at least 4 to 5 minutes to develop more flavor and to fully cook the flour. I increased the amount of roux slightly to ensure a creamier texture in the final soup.

Step 2: Skip the water. To enhance the flavor, I swapped water for chicken broth. I went with low-sodium broth so I could better control the salt when seasoning at the end.

Step 3: Reduce the cream. Some versions of this recipe call for 1 1/2 to 2 cups of heavy cream, but I found that to be too much. Instead, I added a bit more chicken broth and cut the cream down to just 1 cup.

Step 4: Let it simmer longer. A great soup needs time to develop its flavors. I found that letting it simmer for at least 30 minutes after adding the broth really helped intensify the flavor.

Step 5: Add a bay leaf. This simple addition adds a comforting depth to the soup. If you have dried thyme, that’s another great flavor boost to consider.

Step 6: Add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end. Creamy soups can sometimes feel a little one-dimensional, and this one did. A quick squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving brightened everything up.

Dolly Parton's Stampede Soup Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• kosher salt, to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions:

1. Prepare vegetables according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain and chop finely.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes until the mixture turns a deep golden color. Add onion powder, garlic powder, and white pepper, and whisk to combine.
3. Slowly whisk in the stock, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring continuously. Reduce heat to medium and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, whisking occasionally until the soup thickens. Stir in the cooked vegetables and heavy cream. Taste and season with salt as needed.
4. Serve the soup in bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and add a lemon wedge on the side.

Tip: For extra flavor, swap out the onion powder for 1/2 cup finely chopped onion and use 1 or 2 cloves of minced garlic instead of garlic powder. Sauté them in the butter before making the roux for a richer taste.