How Many Cookbooks Has Rachael Ray Released?

Publishing is a key element to becoming a tenured professor, per the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. It's also an important part of being a celebrity chef. Once you start creating recipes, people start asking if you can share so they can recreate those dishes in their own kitchens. And it seems like everyone has a cookbook these days. From Oprah to Gwyneth Paltrow to Sammy Hagar to Ziggy Marley, there are plenty of cookbooks out there to keep home cooks busy.

But when you live in the culinary celebrity world, cookbooks are a big deal. After all, you're only as good as your last recipe that made everyone salivate. Bobby Flay has at least 16 cookbooks, according to Insider. Ina Garten's 13th cookbook will be available in October, per Eating Well. Chrissy Teigen documented the creation of her latest cookbook on her Instagram channel. And Jamie Oliver even sits on a panel of judges for the U.K. show "The Great Cookbook Challenge With Jamie Oliver." Trisha Yearwood dished on her fourth cookbook in 2021.

But one of the Food Network stars who've published the most cookbooks is Rachael Ray. So, just how many cookbooks has the "30 Minute Meals" host lined bookstore shelves with?

Per Rachael Ray's official website, the Food Network chef is the author of 26 cookbooks. Ray published her first cookbook in 1999, before she ever landed her television deal, and she's been going strong ever since. 

Ray is, by every measure, a success, but her publishing prowess is beyond impressive. She's given fans no shortage of cookbooks to choose from, especially when you consider the fact that cookbook writing isn't for the faint of heart, per Grub Street. One writer revealed that it can be time-consuming to write a cookbook — not only are you the author, but you may also play the roles of farmer, restaurateur, and publicist.

Fortunately, Ray doesn't feel the strains and stresses that some cookbook authors feel. When asked in 2019 whether or not she worries about running out of recipes, Ray quipped to SheKnows, "No, not at all. Every week I have to write nine to 15 new meals a week — whether it's for the daytime show, my magazine, or for a special project. Writing about food and creating new meals is just what I do. It is the job."