diff --git a/mealie/services/parser_services/brute/process.py b/mealie/services/parser_services/brute/process.py
index ade777cf8a1f..30ac690bf65d 100644
--- a/mealie/services/parser_services/brute/process.py
+++ b/mealie/services/parser_services/brute/process.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ def parse_ingredient(tokens) -> tuple[str, str]:
     return ingredient, note
 
 
-def parse(ing_str) -> BruteParsedIngredient:
+def parse(ing_str, parser) -> BruteParsedIngredient:
     amount = 0.0
     unit = ""
     ingredient = ""
@@ -192,12 +192,20 @@ def parse(ing_str) -> BruteParsedIngredient:
             # which means this is the ingredient
             ingredient = tokens[1]
     except ValueError:
-        try:
-            # can't parse first argument as amount
-            # -> no unit -> parse everything as ingredient
-            ingredient, note = parse_ingredient(tokens)
-        except ValueError:
-            ingredient = " ".join(tokens[1:])
+        # can't parse first argument as amount
+        # try to parse as unit and ingredient (e.g. "a tblsp salt"), with unit in first three tokens
+        # won't work for units that have spaces
+        for index, token in enumerate(tokens[:3]):
+            if parser.find_unit_match(token):
+                unit = token
+                ingredient, note = parse_ingredient(tokens[index + 1 :])
+                break
+        if not unit:
+            try:
+                # no unit -> parse everything as ingredient
+                ingredient, note = parse_ingredient(tokens)
+            except ValueError:
+                ingredient = " ".join(tokens[1:])
 
     if unit_note not in note:
         note += " " + unit_note
diff --git a/mealie/services/parser_services/ingredient_parser.py b/mealie/services/parser_services/ingredient_parser.py
index b487c4c85e3c..26508310353b 100644
--- a/mealie/services/parser_services/ingredient_parser.py
+++ b/mealie/services/parser_services/ingredient_parser.py
@@ -126,22 +126,24 @@ class ABCIngredientParser(ABC):
 
         return store_map[fuzz_result[0]]
 
-    def find_food_match(self, food: IngredientFood | CreateIngredientFood) -> IngredientFood | None:
+    def find_food_match(self, food: IngredientFood | CreateIngredientFood | str) -> IngredientFood | None:
         if isinstance(food, IngredientFood):
             return food
 
-        match_value = IngredientFoodModel.normalize(food.name)
+        food_name = food if isinstance(food, str) else food.name
+        match_value = IngredientFoodModel.normalize(food_name)
         return self.find_match(
             match_value,
             store_map=self.foods_by_alias,
             fuzzy_match_threshold=self.food_fuzzy_match_threshold,
         )
 
-    def find_unit_match(self, unit: IngredientUnit | CreateIngredientUnit) -> IngredientUnit | None:
+    def find_unit_match(self, unit: IngredientUnit | CreateIngredientUnit | str) -> IngredientUnit | None:
         if isinstance(unit, IngredientUnit):
             return unit
 
-        match_value = IngredientUnitModel.normalize(unit.name)
+        unit_name = unit if isinstance(unit, str) else unit.name
+        match_value = IngredientUnitModel.normalize(unit_name)
         return self.find_match(
             match_value,
             store_map=self.units_by_alias,
@@ -155,6 +157,16 @@ class ABCIngredientParser(ABC):
         if ingredient.ingredient.unit and (unit_match := self.find_unit_match(ingredient.ingredient.unit)):
             ingredient.ingredient.unit = unit_match
 
+        # Parser might have wrongly split a food into a unit and food.
+        if isinstance(ingredient.ingredient.food, CreateIngredientFood) and isinstance(
+            ingredient.ingredient.unit, CreateIngredientUnit
+        ):
+            if food_match := self.find_food_match(
+                f"{ingredient.ingredient.unit.name} {ingredient.ingredient.food.name}"
+            ):
+                ingredient.ingredient.food = food_match
+                ingredient.ingredient.unit = None
+
         return ingredient
 
 
@@ -164,7 +176,7 @@ class BruteForceParser(ABCIngredientParser):
     """
 
     def parse_one(self, ingredient: str) -> ParsedIngredient:
-        bfi = brute.parse(ingredient)
+        bfi = brute.parse(ingredient, self)
 
         parsed_ingredient = ParsedIngredient(
             input=ingredient,
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_ingredient_parser.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_ingredient_parser.py
index df7a336af714..dde303762731 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_ingredient_parser.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_ingredient_parser.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ test_ingredients = [
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(not crf_exists(), reason="CRF++ not installed")
-def test_nlp_parser():
+def test_nlp_parser() -> None:
     models: list[CRFIngredient] = convert_list_to_crf_model([x.input for x in test_ingredients])
 
     # Iterate over models and test_ingredients to gather
@@ -147,37 +147,102 @@ def test_nlp_parser():
         assert model.unit == test_ingredient.unit
 
 
-def test_brute_parser(unique_user: TestUser):
-    # input: (quantity, unit, food, comments)
-    expectations = {
-        # Dutch
-        "1 theelepel koffie": (1, "theelepel", "koffie", ""),
-        "3 theelepels koffie": (3, "theelepels", "koffie", ""),
-        "1 eetlepel tarwe": (1, "eetlepel", "tarwe", ""),
-        "20 eetlepels bloem": (20, "eetlepels", "bloem", ""),
-        "1 mespunt kaneel": (1, "mespunt", "kaneel", ""),
-        "1 snuf(je) zout": (1, "snuf(je)", "zout", ""),
-        "2 tbsp minced cilantro, leaves and stems": (2, "tbsp", "minced cilantro", "leaves and stems"),
-        "1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped": (1, "large", "yellow onion", "coarsely chopped"),
-        "1 1/2 tsp garam masala": (1.5, "tsp", "garam masala", ""),
-        "2 cups mango chunks, (2 large mangoes) (fresh or frozen)": (
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "input, quantity, unit, food, comment",
+    [
+        pytest.param("1 theelepel koffie", 1, "theelepel", "koffie", "", id="1 theelepel koffie"),
+        pytest.param("3 theelepels koffie", 3, "theelepels", "koffie", "", id="3 theelepels koffie"),
+        pytest.param("1 eetlepel tarwe", 1, "eetlepel", "tarwe", "", id="1 eetlepel tarwe"),
+        pytest.param("20 eetlepels bloem", 20, "eetlepels", "bloem", "", id="20 eetlepels bloem"),
+        pytest.param("1 mespunt kaneel", 1, "mespunt", "kaneel", "", id="1 mespunt kaneel"),
+        pytest.param("1 snuf(je) zout", 1, "snuf(je)", "zout", "", id="1 snuf(je) zout"),
+        pytest.param(
+            "2 tbsp minced cilantro, leaves and stems",
             2,
-            "cups",
+            "tbsp",
+            "minced cilantro",
+            "leaves and stems",
+            id="2 tbsp minced cilantro, leaves and stems",
+        ),
+        pytest.param(
+            "1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped",
+            1,
+            "large",
+            "yellow onion",
+            "coarsely chopped",
+            id="1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped",
+        ),
+        pytest.param("1 1/2 tsp garam masala", 1.5, "tsp", "garam masala", "", id="1 1/2 tsp garam masala"),
+        pytest.param(
+            "2 cups mango chunks, (2 large mangoes) (fresh or frozen)",
+            2,
+            "Cups",
             "mango chunks, (2 large mangoes)",
             "fresh or frozen",
+            id="2 cups mango chunks, (2 large mangoes) (fresh or frozen)",
         ),
-    }
-
+        pytest.param("stalk onion", 0, "Stalk", "onion", "", id="stalk onion"),
+        pytest.param("a stalk bell peppers", 0, "Stalk", "bell peppers", "", id="a stalk bell peppers"),
+        pytest.param("a tablespoon unknownFood", 0, "Tablespoon", "unknownFood", "", id="a tablespoon unknownFood"),
+        pytest.param(
+            "stalk bell peppers, cut in pieces",
+            0,
+            "Stalk",
+            "bell peppers",
+            "cut in pieces",
+            id="stalk bell peppers, cut in pieces",
+        ),
+        pytest.param(
+            "a stalk bell peppers, cut in pieces",
+            0,
+            "Stalk",
+            "bell peppers",
+            "cut in pieces",
+            id="stalk bell peppers, cut in pieces",
+        ),
+        pytest.param("red pepper flakes", 0, "", "red pepper flakes", "", id="red pepper flakes"),
+        pytest.param("1 red pepper flakes", 1, "", "red pepper flakes", "", id="1 red pepper flakes"),
+        pytest.param("1 bell peppers", 1, "", "bell peppers", "", id="1 bell peppers"),
+        pytest.param("1 stalk bell peppers", 1, "Stalk", "bell peppers", "", id="1 big stalk bell peppers"),
+        pytest.param("a big stalk bell peppers", 0, "Stalk", "bell peppers", "", id="a big stalk bell peppers"),
+        pytest.param(
+            "1 bell peppers, cut in pieces", 1, "", "bell peppers", "cut in pieces", id="1 bell peppers, cut in pieces"
+        ),
+        pytest.param(
+            "bell peppers, cut in pieces", 0, "", "bell peppers", "cut in pieces", id="bell peppers, cut in pieces"
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+def test_brute_parser(
+    unique_local_group_id: UUID4,
+    parsed_ingredient_data: tuple[list[IngredientFood], list[IngredientUnit]],  # required so database is populated
+    input: str,
+    quantity: int | float,
+    unit: str,
+    food: str,
+    comment: str,
+):
     with session_context() as session:
-        parser = get_parser(RegisteredParser.brute, unique_user.group_id, session)
+        parser = get_parser(RegisteredParser.brute, unique_local_group_id, session)
+        parsed = parser.parse_one(input)
+        ing = parsed.ingredient
 
-        for key, val in expectations.items():
-            parsed = parser.parse_one(key)
-
-            assert parsed.ingredient.quantity == val[0]
-            assert parsed.ingredient.unit.name == val[1]
-            assert parsed.ingredient.food.name == val[2]
-            assert parsed.ingredient.note in {val[3], None}
+        if ing.quantity:
+            assert ing.quantity == quantity
+        else:
+            assert not quantity
+        if ing.unit:
+            assert ing.unit.name == unit
+        else:
+            assert not unit
+        if ing.food:
+            assert ing.food.name == food
+        else:
+            assert not food
+        if ing.note:
+            assert ing.note == comment
+        else:
+            assert not comment
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(