The present invention provides an ink jet recording ink including a dye which has a weight average molecular weight of 850 or less and is represented by Formula (1) below, a water-soluble organic solvent which has an SP value of 9.4 or more and less than 9.75 and is represented by Formula (2) or (3) below, and water, in which the content of a surfactant is less than 0.1% by mass. R.sub.1, R.sub.2: H, a halogen atom, OH, COOH, C1-C6 alkyl group, C1-C6 alkoxy group, NO.sub.2, an azophenyl group, -L1-Ra and the like, L.sub.1: O, CH.sub.2, C.sub.6H.sub.4, N═N, SO.sub.2 or a combination thereof, Ra: a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, or the like, R.sub.3: H, an azophenyl group, an azonaphthalene group, -L.sub.2-Rb or the like, L.sub.2: C(═O), C.sub.6H.sub.4, N═N, NH, SO.sub.2 or a combination thereof, Rb: a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, a pyrimidyl group, or the like; M.sup.+: H.sup.+, Na.sup.+, NH.sub.4.sup.+, an alkylammonium ion or the like, R: C2-C6 unsubstituted alkyl group, and n is 1 to 3. ##STR00001##

The present invention provides an ink jet recording ink including a dye which has a weight average molecular weight of 850 or less and is represented by Formula (1) below, a water-soluble organic solvent which has an SP value of 9.4 or more and less than 9.75 and is represented by Formula (2) or (3) below, and water, in which the content of a surfactant is less than 0.1% by mass. R.sub.1, R.sub.2: H, a halogen atom, OH, COOH, C1-C6 alkyl group, C1-C6 alkoxy group, NO.sub.2, an azophenyl group, -L1-Ra and the like, L.sub.1: O, CH.sub.2, C.sub.6H.sub.4, N═N, SO.sub.2 or a combination thereof, Ra: a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, or the like, R.sub.3: H, an azophenyl group, an azonaphthalene group, -L.sub.2-Rb or the like, L.sub.2: C(═O), C.sub.6H.sub.4, N═N, NH, SO.sub.2 or a combination thereof, Rb: a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, a pyrimidyl group, or the like; M.sup.+: H.sup.+, Na.sup.+, NH.sub.4.sup.+, an alkylammonium ion or the like, R: C2-C6 unsubstituted alkyl group, and n is 1 to 3. ##STR00001##