You can use a variety of other cheeses in place of the Monterey Jack. Havarti, Munster, American, Gouda, or even Cheddar would work just fine in this dip also. I like the mild flavor of the Monterey Jack and love the way that it melts, but American will give you a very close flavor and texture.

Please don’t use Velveeta! It can be tempting to use Velveeta as it gives you a great smooth, creamy texture however, after reading the ingredient list you might think twice about why it’s so smooth and creamy. I much prefer the texture of real cheese to the “pasteurized cheese product”.

Feel free to add more milk to help loosen it up. As the cheese sauce sits it will likely thicken up a bit so don’t be afraid to add a tablespoon at a time of milk as needed. This will keep it loose and creamy.

If you’re looking for something meatier, you can add cooked ground beef, sausage, or chorizo to this dip! It’s nice to have a vegetarian option but if you know your friends will be missing the meat, go ahead and add a half-pound or so of cooked your favorite cooked meat. Crispy bacon crumbled on top would also be delicious. If you want some non-meat garnishes, sauteed onions and peppers would be divine, especially hotter peppers like jalapenos, serranos, or poblanos. Even some raw or pickled jalapeno slices would work well here. I’d be sure to jazz the meat up with some cumin and chili powder too so it’s got a little Mexican flavor too!