Provided are a device and method for recognizing an obstacle around a vehicle. The device includes a distance sensor configured to generate sensing information regarding each of a plurality of signals by outputting the plurality of signals to an area spaced a predetermined distance from the front of the vehicle, a signal processing unit configured to extract the sensing information regarding signals determined as sensing an obstacle by individually performing vertical ground filtering and horizontal ground filtering on the sensing information regarding each of the plurality of signals, a signal mixer configured to mix the sensing information extracted by performing vertical ground filtering and the sensing information extracted by performing horizontal ground filtering, and an obstacle recognition unit configured to recognize the obstacle using a result of mixing the extracted sensing information.