Spanish Melon

Spanish Sapo Melon Singapore

Spanish Sapo Melon is a refreshing green melon with mottled dark green skin and pale green to white flesh inside. Also known as Piel de Sapo melon, sapo melon, melon sapo, Santa Claus melon and Spanish Melon, it is loved for its crisp juicy bite and gentle honey-like sweetness.

The name Piel de Sapo means “toad skin” in Spanish, referring to the melon’s blotchy green rind. Despite the rough-looking skin, the flesh inside is mild, aromatic and refreshing, with a flavour often compared to honeydew, pear and light cucumber.

This Spain melon style fruit is suitable for fresh snacking, fruit platters, chilled desserts, sorbets, tarts, and savoury pairings with creamy cheese or cured meat. It is less musky than orange cantaloupe and has a cleaner, lighter sweetness.

Origin: Imported. Country of origin may vary by batch and shipment.

Spanish Sapo Melon Quick Facts

Taste and Texture

Spanish Sapo Melon has a mild, sweet and refreshing taste. The flavour is often compared to a mix of honeydew and pear, with a clean finish and gentle aroma.

The flesh is pale green to white, juicy and crisp-tender. It is not as strongly musky as orange cantaloupe, making it a good melon for those who prefer a lighter and cleaner sweetness.

• Refreshing Spanish Melon with pale green to white flesh
• Also known as sapo melon, melon sapo and Piel de Sapo melon
• Mild honeydew-like sweetness with pear-like notes
• Juicy, crisp and refreshing texture
• Good for fruit salads, sorbets, tarts and chilled platters
• Pairs well with cheese, cured meat and fresh herbs

What is Spanish Sapo Melon?

Spanish Sapo Melon is a Piel de Sapo type melon, a classic Spanish-style green melon known for its mottled rind and long keeping quality. The name Piel de Sapo translates to “toad skin” because of the melon’s dark green, speckled and cracked-looking outer skin.

Inside, the flesh is pale green to white and has a mild, sweet flavour. It is less aromatic than Charentais or rock melon, but it is crisp, juicy and very refreshing when served cold.

It is also called Santa Claus melon or Christmas melon because this melon type is known for keeping well compared with more delicate melons.

Other Names for Spanish Sapo Melon

Spanish Sapo Melon is also known as Piel de Sapo melon, sapo melon, melon sapo, Spanish Melon, Spain melon, Santa Claus melon, Christmas melon and toad skin melon.

Spanish Melon vs Spanish Cantaloupe

Spanish Sapo Melon is sometimes loosely called Spanish cantaloupe, but it is different from the common orange-flesh cantaloupe or rockmelon. Sapo melon usually has pale green to white flesh, while cantaloupe usually has orange flesh and a stronger musky aroma.

The flavour of Sapo melon is lighter and closer to honeydew, with pear-like notes. It is a good choice when a cleaner, less musky melon taste is preferred.

Spanish Sapo Melon vs Honeydew

Spanish Sapo Melon and honeydew are both mild green melon types with refreshing sweetness. Honeydew usually has smoother skin and a softer, cleaner melon taste, while Sapo melon has a darker mottled rind and a slightly pear-like flavour.

Both can be served chilled, used in fruit salads or paired with cured meat and creamy cheese. Sapo melon is often appreciated for its firmer bite and longer keeping quality.

How to Choose Spanish Sapo Melon

Choose a Sapo melon that feels heavy for its size and has a firm, clean rind. The skin should have the usual mottled green toad-skin appearance, without leaking areas, mould, deep cracks or very soft patches.

As it ripens, the rind may show a more subtle yellow tone, and the ends may give slightly when pressed. A very hard melon with no give may need more time at room temperature.

• Choose a melon that feels heavy for its size
• Look for firm mottled green skin
• A slight yellow tone can appear as it ripens
• The ends may give slightly when ripe
• Avoid leaking, mouldy or very soft fruit
• Keep at room temperature until ready to cut

How to Tell if Sapo Melon is Ripe

A ripe Sapo melon may show a subtle yellow colour on the rind and slight give at the ends when gently pressed. The fruit should still feel firm overall, not mushy or wet.

Sapo melon does not always give off a very strong aroma compared with Charentais or rock melon, so check the overall feel, skin tone and end softness together.

How to Cut Spanish Sapo Melon

Wash the outer rind before cutting. Slice the melon lengthwise, scoop out the centre seeds and soft membranes, then cut the pale flesh into wedges or cubes.

For fruit platters and salads, remove the rind and cut the flesh into bite-sized pieces. For cheese or cured meat pairings, cut into long chilled wedges or neat cubes.

• Wash the rind before cutting
• Cut the melon lengthwise
• Scoop out the centre seeds
• Slice into wedges or cubes
• Remove the rind before serving if preferred
• Serve chilled for the best refreshing taste
• Store cut melon covered in the refrigerator

Serving Ideas

Spanish Sapo Melon is delicious fresh and chilled. Its mild sweetness works well in fruit salads, sorbets, tarts, smoothies and chilled melon bowls.

It also pairs nicely with creamy cheese, cured meat, mint, basil, lime, berries and grapes. For a savoury appetiser, serve chilled melon wedges with prosciutto, jamón or Parma ham.

• Chilled Spanish Sapo Melon wedges
• Fresh melon cubes for fruit bowls
• Fruit salad with berries, grapes and kiwi
• Melon with creamy cheese
• Melon with jamón, prosciutto or Parma ham
• Sorbet, tarts and chilled desserts
• Smoothies and blended melon drinks
• Refreshing green melon platter

Spanish Sapo Melon Nutrition Overview

Spanish Sapo Melon can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet. Like other green melon and honeydew-style melons, it naturally contains water, carbohydrates, vitamin C, potassium and small amounts of fibre.

Nutrition values can vary depending on melon variety, ripeness and edible portion. Weigh the edible flesh portion when tracking calories, sugar or carbohydrates closely.

Storage and Handling Guide

Keep whole Spanish Sapo Melon at room temperature to continue ripening. Avoid refrigerating the whole melon too early, as very cold storage may slow ripening and affect flavour development.

Once ripe or cut, store the melon in the refrigerator. Wrap unused sliced pieces with cling film or keep them in an airtight container. For best quality, consume cut melon within a few days. Freezing is not recommended because the texture may become watery after thawing.

• Keep whole melon at room temperature before cutting
• Use within about one week, depending on ripeness
• Refrigerate once ripe or cut
• Wrap cut pieces or store in an airtight container
• Keep cut melon refrigerated
• Consume cut melon within a few days for best texture
• Do not freeze if texture matters
• Discard if it smells fermented, leaks heavily or turns slimy

Why Buy Spanish Sapo Melon from SKC Fruits

SKC Fruits offers Spanish Sapo Melon for those who enjoy mild, refreshing green melon with pale flesh and honeydew-like sweetness. This Spanish Melon is suitable for fresh eating, fruit salads, chilled desserts and savoury pairings.

• Refreshing Spanish Sapo Melon
• Also known as Piel de Sapo melon, sapo melon and Santa Claus melon
• Pale green to white flesh with mild honeydew-like sweetness
• Crisp, juicy and refreshing texture
• Good for fruit salads, sorbets, tarts and cheese pairings
• Suitable for green melon platters and chilled desserts
• Simple ripeness, cutting and storage guide included
• Convenient melon delivery in Singapore from SKC Fruits