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I don't have a specific recipe, but I don't put cream in any of my thickened soups. Simply cook until everything is tender and then use your immersion blender. It's like magic! Makes everything so smooth and creamy. People are always surprised there's no cream in it.

Good luck! I hope you love your immersion blender as much as I do mine.

I stole this one from someone named Jill. When I make it, I usually leave out the tarragon and onion powder, and if I'm feeling oniony, I add chopped onion somewhere along the way.

Nutmeg is good in this soup, but not a lot. Chives would be nice on top.

If you want a creamy garnish, a dollop of Greek yogurt works really well.

And you can use any winter squash you want, really.

Where it says to put it in a blender, use your stick blender. That's what I do. I don't need the excitement of pouring boiling liquids into other containers if I don't absolutely have to do it.

Jill's Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

2 butternut squash (about 4 lbs.)
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 c. chicken stock or broth
2 c. water as needed
1-1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1-2 tsp. dried tarragon leaves

Cut squashes in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Brush with olive
oil and place, cut side down, on a baking sheet.  Roast the squash at 350F
for 1 hour until tender.  Handle with an oven mitt; scoop the flesh from the
shell with a spoon and place in a large mixing bowl.  In another mixing
bowl, blend together the stock and water.  Add a little minced garlic if
desired.  Puree the squash in a blender or food processor with the liquid in
batches, adding liquid as needed, until smooth (this can also be done in the cooking pot with a stick blender).  Add the salt & pepper, onion powder and tarragon.  Bring soup to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook over very low heat about an hour, stirring occasionally.  Serves 8-10.

This isn't a recipe per se, but I take a butternut squash, cut it in half, sprinkle some olive oil and s&p, and roast it with some nutmeg and allspice. I also roast some carrots on the side- also with oil and s&p. I then put it on the stove with some veg broth and white potatoes. Once the potatoes soften I puree it up with my immersion blender. Sometimes I roast up some garlic at the same time as the squash, or I'll add curry powder.

here's my recipe, it's vegan, vegetarian - and easy....

cook your squash, roasted or not in apple cider & water - with lots of fresh ginger, and i put a little onion in it too.... cook until soft and then puree away. sometimes, i'll throw in a few pieces of apple, too, but the ginger is good, oh, you can add some cinnamon and cloves if you like, it's up to you...

I almost always substitute low-fat (or even nonfat) evaporated milk for heavy cream in soups, and it has always worked fine for me. You could also use nonfat half-and-half for similar results. Buttermilk might also work some of the time, but since it has such a distinct flavor, I would be careful about which recipes I used it in.

Hah! I should have read the whole post, not just the title, before replying. d'oh!

I would use fat-free coffee mate. I use it all the time for my lactose intolerant family members and it always comes out good.

You could also use coconut milk and some curry type spices and fresh ginger for a vegan version. Yum.

Wow! Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I love how the food blogging (& commenting) community is always so giving. Maybe I should crowdsource all of my kitchen conundrums. I'll report back once I give it a shot.

I a butternut squash soup recipe from gourmet. I think it is about 20 years old. It is simple and delicious. It has few ingredients -- squash, onion, garlic, fresh ginger, stock and that is about it. it is one of my family's favorite soups.

We use soy sour cream or cream cheese in place of heavy cream in most recipes, including squash soup. We do it because my husband is lactose intolerant, so I haven't actually compared the fat content. But it works perfectly.

I've made it on occasion and people love it. I first roast the squash with an apple, and then simmer in vegetable broth with some apple cider, ginger and nutmeg. Serve piping hot. No need for anythng dairy.