diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/mealie.nix b/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/mealie.nix
index e1fce845caa6f3..46571fea461720 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/mealie.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/mealie.nix
@@ -50,13 +50,24 @@ in
         Expects the format of an `EnvironmentFile=`, as described by {manpage}`systemd.exec(5)`.
       '';
     };
+
+    database = {
+      createLocally = lib.mkOption {
+        type = lib.types.bool;
+        default = false;
+        description = ''
+          Configure local PostgreSQL database server for Mealie.
+        '';
+      };
+    };
   };
 
   config = lib.mkIf cfg.enable {
     systemd.services.mealie = {
       description = "Mealie, a self hosted recipe manager and meal planner";
 
-      after = [ "network-online.target" ];
+      after = [ "network-online.target" ] ++ lib.optional cfg.database.createLocally "postgresql.service";
+      requires = lib.optional cfg.database.createLocally "postgresql.service";
       wants = [ "network-online.target" ];
       wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
 
@@ -78,5 +89,21 @@ in
         StandardOutput = "journal";
       };
     };
+
+    services.mealie.settings = lib.mkIf cfg.database.createLocally {
+      DB_ENGINE = "postgres";
+      POSTGRES_URL_OVERRIDE = "postgresql://mealie:@/mealie?host=/run/postgresql";
+    };
+
+    services.postgresql = lib.mkIf cfg.database.createLocally {
+      enable = true;
+      ensureDatabases = [ "mealie" ];
+      ensureUsers = [
+        {
+          name = "mealie";
+          ensureDBOwnership = true;
+        }
+      ];
+    };
   };
 }
diff --git a/nixos/tests/mealie.nix b/nixos/tests/mealie.nix
index 57bff29731d8a3..21e96dea411429 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/mealie.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/mealie.nix
@@ -10,20 +10,35 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix (
       ];
     };
 
-    nodes = {
-      server = {
-        services.mealie = {
-          enable = true;
-          port = 9001;
+    nodes =
+      let
+        sqlite = {
+          services.mealie = {
+            enable = true;
+            port = 9001;
+          };
         };
+        postgres = {
+          imports = [ sqlite ];
+          services.mealie.database.createLocally = true;
+        };
+      in
+      {
+        inherit sqlite postgres;
       };
-    };
 
     testScript = ''
       start_all()
-      server.wait_for_unit("mealie.service")
-      server.wait_for_open_port(9001)
-      server.succeed("curl --fail http://localhost:9001")
+
+      def test_mealie(node):
+        node.wait_for_unit("mealie.service")
+        node.wait_for_open_port(9001)
+        node.succeed("curl --fail http://localhost:9001")
+
+      test_mealie(sqlite)
+      simple.send_monitor_command("quit")
+      simple.wait_for_shutdown()
+      test_mealie(postgres)
     '';
   }
 )