Your recipe sounds delicious, but everyone in my family is lactose intolerant. How do you think it would be with either no cream, or lactaid milk i...

I should have added, 1/2 cup dried white rice per 4 cups stock or liquid. I generally like slightly more rice for a thicker broth.

I would suggest the 'cream soup' substitution offered in Julia Child's "The Way to Cook" (page 6).
She builds her base like a conventional soup with onion, then butter (could use EVOO) and adds stock and white rice. After the rice cooks, its pureed then used to finish whatever soup recipe you are adding. It adds thickness, creamy texture and flavor. I've used it multiple times with great success. Best of all, no special trips to the market as most people have rice on hand. And, its delicious!

Yes, coconut milk would be very tasty. I've turned this soup into an Indian-food based soup by adding cumin, coriander and some curry powder to the last two minutes of sautéing the onions and then add coconut milk at same te I would add cream. It's quite good.

since it's a ginger carrot soup, as opposed o something more savory, I think coconut milk, rice or hemp mil would work well.

I routinely substitute non-dairy substitutes in recipes like this. There are other workarounds, like potatoes, but that's the simplest.

I think it would be fine with lactaid milk. If the lactose intolerants can eat yogurt, that would work also. Enjoy!!!