Papaya is a large, teardrop-shaped fruit with a green or yellow, thin, and yielding outer skin. The inside is a luscious, soft, and salmon-colored fruit with a cluster of black, shiny, and small seeds that are edible, but should only be consumed in moderation.

Papaya has a similar mild, floral quality to what you’d get in a melon, but it has a sweetness to it that you won’t experience with, say, a honeydew. The texture is also significantly softer than that of a melon, which makes it easy to spoon out of its peel. Of course, you don’t have to eat it that way — it’s also delicious when it’s cut up and added to fruit salads.