An apparatus and method for controlling a recording signal are provided. The apparatus may include a light generator generating light used to write information to an optical disk, a light amount compensator setting a voltage level of the recording signal as a second level when the write operation is performed or stopped, and a light amount controller supplying energy to the light generator based on the second level of the recording signal until the voltage level of the recording signal reaches a first level when a rewrite operation is started and controlling the light generated by the light generator to be constant after the voltage level of the recording signal reaches the first level. The apparatus and method for controlling the recording signal may reduce write quality deterioration due to a lack of initial power of the recording signal when an optical disk recording apparatus starts a rewrite operation after stopping a write operation due to buffer underrun, insecure servo signals, wobble quality, contamination of discs, changes in recording speeds, and/or external shocks.