A recording ink, includes: a coloring agent; a surfactant; a penetrant; and a defoaming agent. The recording ink includes 3.0.times.10.sup.7 (quantity/5 .mu.l) or less coarse particles each having a particle diameter of 0.5 .mu.m or more, and an amount of a particle having a particle diameter of from 1 .mu.m to under 5 .mu.m in the coarse particles is 1% by number or less.
