Pour one can of cannellini beans, including its liquid, into a blender and purée until smooth. Drain the other two cans of beans and set them aside for later use.

Mince the garlic cloves. In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat for about one minute, or just until the garlic becomes very fragrant, taking care not to let it brown.

To the pot with the sautéed garlic, add the puréed cannellini beans from Step 1, the two cans of drained beans, vegetable or chicken broth, dried rosemary, dried thyme, crushed red pepper, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Stir everything together to combine.

Place a lid on the pot and increase the heat to medium-high to bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, remove the lid, and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and allow the flavors to meld.

After simmering, use a spoon or potato masher to smash some of the beans against the side of the pot to further thicken the soup. Taste the soup and add salt if needed, depending on the saltiness of your broth. I like to enjoy this soup with a slice of crusty bread for dipping—it's such a comforting touch!