The recording and reproducing apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a light source; an optical system configured to divide a beam from the light source, and to form a first optical spot and a second optical spot on a recording medium; a recording circuit configured to drive the light source and to modulate a light amount of the light source, and further to record the information on the recording medium by the first optical spot by modulating the light amount of the light source based on information; and an evaluation circuit configured to evaluate the information recorded on the recording medium by reproducing by the second optical spot in a period in which the recording circuit causes the light source to emit the beam at a constant light amount.