Target recognition is the key link of SAR image interpretation. The recognition rate of the existing SAR image target recognition method using sparse representation is not high enough. Therefore, we proposed a SAR image target recognition method using sparse representation and stretch transformation based on the analysis of the factors affecting the recognition rate, and according to the characteristics of the target region and the shadow area. This method may generate a new training sample image by stretching the training sample image, and construct a sparse dictionary by using the existing and new training sample image. By solving the joint sparse representation of the target region and the shadow area, the SAR image target recognition is completed according to the criterion of the minimum reconstruction error. The proposed method of target recognition was tested by using MSTAR SAR image. The results show that the recognition rate of the proposed method is higher than that of the existing method, and thus the validity of the method is verified.