Most supermarket tahinis are over-roasted, which gives them an unpleasant, bitter flavor. Others can by way too thick and hard to stir into a creamy blend. Then we learned about Soom Foods, a Philadelphia-based team of sisters who, in 2013, began importing the best tahini available to the United States.

Their tahini has a full, nutty flavor as well as a pourable and well-balanced texture, made from roasted and pressed premium white sesame seeds. It’s great for hummus, yogurt sauces and even tahini swirl brownies. Speaking of: we also love the company’s rich, bittersweet dark chocolate spread.

Because most supermarket tahinis aren’t fresh, they tend to separate into a dense, spackle-like paste with a top layer of oil that’s impossible to blend together. “We found that because tahini has a long shelf life, the grocery store stuff is sitting on shelves for a while,” says co-founder and CEO Amy Zitelman, who runs the company along with her sisters Shelby and Jackie. “We try to press our tahini every 6 to 8 weeks, so it’s very fresh, and Jackie tastes every batch of tahini for quality assurance.”

And to ensure a creamy consistency, the company sources only White Humera sesame seeds from northwestern Ethiopia that have an ideal oil-to-protein ratio. Available in 11-ounce and 16-ounce containers; for now, you can save 10% when you purchase two and 15% when you purchase four.

Premium Tahini

Soom Tahini has a subtle, pleasant bitterness—as opposed to other brands, which can have an acrid taste from sesame seeds that have been toasted too long or haven’t had their hulls removed. Soom also stands out from other brands, thanks to its exceptionally creamy texture. We love it for making hummus, but it has so many more uses—we even swap it out for peanut butter in sandwiches. We also like to blend tahini with yogurt, olive oil and herbs for a nutty, rich pasta sauce, or brush it over roasted chicken or mixed grilled vegetables and spritz with lemon or lime juice. Available in 11-ounce and 16-ounce containers.

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Sweet Tahini Spread

Creamy and thick, the tahini adds a lovely nuttiness when blended with dark chocolate and balanced out with a bite of sea salt. And it’s not so sweet that you can’t taste the medley of flavors, which is an issue we have with other popular chocolate nut spreads. Put it on toast or pound cake and drizzle over oatmeal or fruit. Or swirl into tangy rice pudding lightened with creme fraîche. It’s also a fun addition to a cheese board alongside juicy strawberries or apples for dipping.