I enjoyed this flavourful soup. In North America , I think we assume pumpkins are orange. The picture looked like a buttercup squash and so that is what I used and it turned out great. I didn't freeze the whipping cream - just put a fresh dollop in the middle. The cream with the bacon on top gave it a real gourmet touch.

The squash we used gave the soup an earthy flavor and as a result, we added more salt than the recipe probably called for, in order to keep it from tasting like a field. Instead of using whipping cream, we used Fage Total, which required less whipping and added a tangy flavor to the soup.

I used a kabocha squash and Oikos organice greek yogurt instead of the cream. Came out delicious and I was surprised how east it was to roast the squash and get the meat off the skin. Thanks for the informative recipe!

How much squash/pumpkin did your one lb pumpkin yield?

1 pound pumpkin is probably between 3 to 4 cups. Refer to the lesson on How to Make Starch-Based Thick Soups for more information on making these types of soups. Cheers!

Anyone know how to make non-dairy whip cream?

Hi Alex- There are many types of substitutes for whipping cream that contain no dairy. Some are store bought and others you can easily make at home. In these applications, temperature and the intended use play a large role in how you decide. In this recipe, coconut milk will serve the purpose and add great flavor. In other applications, whipped silken tofu can serve in place of cream.

In cold applications (say, whipped cream for pie) you might use an off-the shelf brand (many contain additives, etc. to stabilize) or you can also whip coconut cream.

Given your interest in plant-based cooking, I might suggest that you try Rouxbe's Plant-Based Cooking Level 1.

That would be an ideal place to focus your attention to this area if you are interested. Plus, you'll have a community of students to help answer questions like these. Enjoy!