Disclosed is an inkjet recording ink having excellent storage stability and ejection stability, while achieving good color development on plain paper or glossy paper and high gloss on glossy paper. Specifically disclosed is an inkjet recording ink containing water and a pigment dispersed therein using a polymer having an acid number of not less than 50 mgKOH/g and not more than 120 mgKOH/g and a weight average molecular weight of not less than 20,000 and not more than 120,000, in which polymer not less than 50% by weight of benzylacrylate and not more than 15% by weight of a (meth)acrylic acid are polymerized at least as a constitutional unit of the polymer.