Rachel Loves to Cook is a popular food blog and YouTube channel created by Rachel Davis. With over 2 million subscribers on YouTube and thousands of delicious recipes on her blog, Rachel has become one of the most prominent voices in home cooking and meal preparation. Her fanbase is constantly growing as more people discover her easy-to-follow recipes and entertaining video content. A common question that many fans have is – does Rachel Loves to Cook have her own cookbook?
Rachel’s Background
Before starting her blog and YouTube channel, Rachel worked as an elementary school teacher for over 10 years. Cooking was always a creative outlet and stress reliever for her. She began sharing photos of her homemade dishes on social media and quickly realized she had a knack for developing tasty recipes. In 2015, Rachel created the Rachel Loves to Cook blog and started posting recipes she created in her own kitchen. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and fans began requesting video tutorials. Within a year, she launched the Rachel Loves to Cook YouTube channel which exploded in popularity right away. As Rachel’s online presence grew, so did questions about whether she would release a cookbook.
First Cookbook
In 2018, Rachel announced she had signed a book deal to publish her first cookbook. The cookbook would feature over 100 of her most popular recipes that fans have come to love through her blog and YouTube channel. A year later, in 2019, the cookbook “Rachel Loves to Cook: 100 Recipes for Making Every Meal Faster, Easier & More Delicious” hit shelves. It became an instant bestseller thanks to her huge online following. The visually stunning cookbook was filled with Rachel’s signature simple, family-friendly recipes along with her tips for making weeknight meal prep easier. From easy chicken dinners and beef dishes to sides, breakfasts, and desserts, the book had a wide variety of recipe options for allcooking abilities and occasions.
Cookbook Recipes
Some of the fan favorite recipes included in Rachel’s debut cookbook are:
| Recipe | Description |
|---|---|
| One Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken | Chicken breasts cooked in a creamy, garlicky sauce with sun dried tomatoes and spinach. Served over pasta. |
| BBQ Beef Sandwiches | Tender, shredded beef tossed in a homemade barbecue sauce and piled onto buns. |
| 20 Minute Skillet Lasagna | A speedy version of lasagna made with ricotta, marinara sauce, and no boil noodles. |
| Easy Homemade Pizza | Cheesy homemade pizza on a ready-made crust topped with fun customized toppings. |
| One Pan Lemon Herb Chicken & Veggies | Chicken breasts roasted with potatoes, green beans, and carrots in a fresh lemon herb sauce. |
| Loaded Nachos | Crispy tortilla chips piled high with seasoned taco meat, beans, salsa, cheese, etc. |
| Double Chocolate Cookies | Chewy, fudgy chocolate cookies made with cocoa powder and chocolate chips. |
| Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting | Moist carrot cake layered with tangy cream cheese frosting. |
The cookbook was filled cover-to-cover with simple yet drool-worthy recipes. Rachel included “ready in 30 minutes or less” labels for quick weeknight meals along with tips for using leftovers and meal prepping efficiently. The recipes suit a wide range of dietary needs with gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegetarian and vegan options. Detailed cooking instructions and mouthwatering photos walked readers through executing each recipe successfully.
Cookbook Success
Rachel’s first cookbook was a runaway success that outsold similar debut cooking books from established food bloggers and chefs. It sold over 100,000 copies within the first few months of its release. The book resonated so strongly thanks to Rachel’s strong personal connection with her loyal online fanbase. It felt like readers were cooking alongside a familiar friend in their own kitchens. The buzz around the book’s easy, approachable recipes inspired more viewership on Rachel’s YouTube channel and blog as well. Her videos featuring recipes from the cookbook received millions of views.
Positive reviews praised Rachel’s cookbook for its foolproof, fuss-free recipes using simple ingredients and easy cooking techniques. Reviewers noted that the recipes were well-tested and consistently yielded delicious results. They loved the wide range of options that made cooking easy for busy families, while still exciting for more experienced home cooks. Rachel’s friendly voice and thorough instructions enabled readers of all skill levels to recreate her recipes successfully. Many noted that the vibrant photos made them eager to get in the kitchen. Some reviews did express that more nutritional information would have been helpful, but overall feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
Cookbook Review Highlights
| Review Quote | Source |
|---|---|
| “Rachel’s debut cookbook lives up to the hype generated by her insanely popular website and videos. The recipes are creative yet approachable for weeknight cooking.” | Epicurious |
| “An inspiring mix of simple yet satisfying dishes. Rachel’s writing style makes the recipes unintimidating and fun.” | Publishers Weekly |
| “Every mealtime dilemma is solved with this book! Rachel equips home cooks with easy recipes that never disappoint. A new favorite for my kitchen.” | Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman |
| “A must-have for Rachel’s fans and anyone wanting effortless, family-friendly meals. Her recipes check all the boxes – easy, delicious, and healthier options.” | Food Network Magazine |
Capitalizing on the popularity of her first book, Rachel continued growing her blog and YouTube presence. She leveraged the cookbook publicity to build an even bigger audience as she worked towards her next career milestone.
Second Cookbook
In 2021, Rachel published her highly anticipated sophomore cookbook, “Rachel Loves to Cook: Next Level Recipes for Special Occasions”. This second book focused on recipes for holidays, parties, and other celebratory gatherings. It included her famous recipes for dishes like showstopping roasts, party appetizers, festive cocktails, and dazzling desserts. From Sunday suppers to Thanksgiving feasts and date nights in, this book had recipes suited for memorable meals with family and friends.
The book provided detailed instructions and Rachel’s best tips for successfully cooking the more advanced recipes. She included troubleshooting advice for common issues to help instill confidence in home cooks. Stunning photography, suggested menus, and wine pairings made planning special occasions effortless. Though the recipes required a bit more time and cooking skill, Rachel’s trademark simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps remained. This cookbook showed Rachel’s range while still staying true to her goal of making cooking unpretentious and enjoyable.
Second Cookbook Recipes
Some of the showstopping recipes from Rachel’s second cookbook include:
| Recipe | Description |
|---|---|
| Prime Rib Roast | Herb-crusted prime rib seasoned with garlic, rosemary and thyme. Served with au jus and horseradish sauce. |
| Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli | Lump crab meat combined with breadcrumbs and spices, then pan fried. Served with a zesty lemon aioli for dipping. |
| Shrimp Boil for a Crowd | An easy peel-and-eat shrimp boil flavored with Old Bay seasoning, lemons, and corn on the cob. |
| Cheese Souffle | Light and airy souffle with gruyere and parmesan cheese. An elegant appetizer or meal. |
| Chicken Pot Pie | Classic chicken pot pie with chicken, vegetables, and creamy sauce topped with a flakey pie crust. |
| Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes | Spiced gingerbread cupcakes swirled with cream cheese frosting and garnished with homemade toffee bits. |
| Red Wine Braised Short Ribs | Fork-tender short ribs braised low and slow in a red wine sauce. Served with buttery mashed potatoes. |
| Pomegranate Mimosas | A festive mimosa made with pomegranate juice, champagne, and sliced strawberries. |
This second book showed Rachel’s skills at developing recipes for entertaining that still fit her signature style. With rave reviews, the new cookbook quickly became another bestseller for Rachel. It cemented her status as one of the top voices providing home cooks with accessible recipes for everyday meals and special occasions.
Rachel’s Cookbooks and Brand Today
Fast forward to today, and Rachel has released four hit cookbooks and counting. In addition to her two titles detailed above, she has published:
- “One Pot, Pan & Skillet: 100+ Dump & Go Recipes” – 2021
- “Recipes for Two: Satisfying Meals for Cooking Together” – 2022
She has mastered translating her highly successful blog and YouTube content into must-have cookbooks. Rachel has sold over 2 million cookbooks to date. She balances dependable, simple recipes with showstopping dishes for special events. Her cookbooks appeal to diehard fans and new readers alike thanks to her inviting voice and fail-proof recipes suited for all skill levels. Rachel has transformed from elementary school teacher to one of the biggest celebrity chefs and cookbook authors.
Beyond cookbooks, Rachel has expanded her food brand over the years:
- Products – Rachel has her own line of cookware, baking pans, kitchen tools, and pantry staples.
- Podcast – She hosts a weekly podcast where she shares cooking tips and interviews fellow chefs and culinary personalities.
- Magazine – Rachel launched her own quarterly cooking magazine in 2020.
- Meal Kits – Fans can order meal kits containing the pre-portioned ingredients needed to cook Rachel’s recipes at home.
Rachel now has a multi-million dollar food empire under the Rachel Loves to Cook brand. However, cookbooks remain an important part of her business as they allow her to share in-depth cooking knowledge and recipes with fans. Cookbooks also offer a more permanent, collectible way for Rachel to interact with her audience. For aspiring home cooks, owning Rachel’s cookbooks feels like having a coveted invitation into her kitchen. Based on her track record of bestsellers, more cookbooks from Rachel Loves to Cook are surely in store.
Conclusion
Rachel Loves to Cook has successfully published multiple hit cookbooks since her online brand took off. Her debut cookbook featuring her most popular everyday recipes was an instant bestseller. Her second cookbook focused on recipes for special occasions also received high praise. To date, Rachel has released four cookbooks that have collectively sold over 2 million copies. Cookbooks remain an important part of her growing food brand and allow her to expand on recipes in more permanent, instructional formats. Given her continued popularity, more cookbooks featuring her approachable, drool-worthy recipes are likely forthcoming.