Clean and chop vegetables such as onion, carrot, celery, cabbage, and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces.
Heat olive oil in a pot and sauté onion, carrot, and celery over medium-low heat.
When the vegetables become tender, add cabbage, bell pepper, and the remaining vegetables. Stir-fry for another 2–3 minutes.
Add tomatoes (or tomato juice) and pour in water.
Season with bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
Once it starts to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20–30 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf and adjust salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
Serve in a bowl to finish.