Shotgun Shells Recipe

This baked Shotgun Shells Recipe brings a popular smoker appetizer indoors — which means anyone can make them! It features a mixture of spicy Italian sausage, ground beef, jalapeño, and three different cheeses that’s stuffed into pasta shells, wrapped in bacon, and glazed with barbecue sauce. It’s easy to see why this party snack is such a hit!

While you may not be able to judge a book by its cover, if you judge this Shotgun Shells Recipe by its name… well, your assumptions are probably correct. A recipe that packs a lot of big, bold flavor into a small package? Yep, that’s exactly what we’ve got here! Like Hot Honey Chicken Wings and Chili Cheese Dip, you can bet this appetizer will disappear fast.

What You’ll Need

Give this BBQ shotgun shells recipe a go – here are the ingredients you’ll need. Scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.

• Pasta – Either manicotti or cannelloni shells; manicotti has ridges, while cannelloni is smooth.
• Ground beef – I recommend 85/15 or 80/20. The fat in the beef helps keep the shotgun shells moist during the low and slow cooking process, adding richly flavored protein.
• Sausage – I use hot Italian sausage (to amplify the “shotgun”!), although you could certainly use a sweet or mild variety. Buy it in bulk or in casings, but remove any casings before starting this recipe.
• Onion & garlic – Mince these finely so their flavor is evenly distributed throughout the filling.
• Jalapeño pepper – Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and ribs for jalapeño flavor with a bit less kick.
• Cheese – Sharp cheddar cheese adds deeper flavor, while shredded mozzarella has that ooey-gooey-melty factor going for it.
• Cream cheese – This adds a creamy element to the filling, making it even more irresistible. Soften this before getting started, so it’s easy to mix with the rest of the filling.
• Seasonings – Chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper add MORE flavor.
• Bacon – Thin bacon slices are the way to go here, better for recipes that involve wrapping (like Bacon Wrapped Scallops and Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus) – so the bacon crisps up.
• Barbecue sauce – I’m partial to my homemade Barbecue Sauce, but a good store-bought brand is absolutely fine.
• Cilantro – For garnish. Parsley is also great, as well as thinly sliced scallions or minced chives.

How to Make Shotgun Shells in the Oven

Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.

• Prepare. Preheat your oven to 250ºF and cook the pasta shells for just a minute or two — enough to soften them slightly while still holding their shape. Rinse the shells with cold water to stop them from cooking further.
• Make the filling. Stir together all of the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl. I find that using my hands is best, just like making meatloaf or meatballs.
• Fill the pasta shells. Add the filling mixture to a piping bag and fill the pasta shells. You can really pack the filling in since it will shrink a bit when cooked.

• Wrap. Tightly wrap 3 slices of bacon around each pasta shell. Place them seam-side-down to hold the bacon in place, securing the bacon with toothpicks if needed.
• Add to rack. Arrange stuffed shells on an oven-safe wire rack.

• Bake & brush with BBQ sauce. Set wire rack of stuffed shells on a rimmed baking sheet, bake for 60 minutes, then brush with barbecue sauce and bake for 30 minutes more. Bake until the bacon is crispy and the filling reaches 165ºF.
• Cool & serve. Remove the shotgun shells from the oven and brush with more barbecue sauce, as desired. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a serving platter, garnish with cilantro, and serve.

Tips & Variations

Here are some pointers for making this shotgun shells recipe:

• No piping bag? No problem! You can add the filling to a zip-top bag and snip off the corner, or simply use a small spoon to add the filling to the shells. (A spoon is a bit more cumbersome and messy, but since the pasta shells are still firm, it’s doable!)
• Shred your own cheese. The powdery coating on store-bought shredded cheese keeps it from clumping in the bag — but it also keeps cheese from melting smoothly in recipes. Shredding your own cheese makes the filling for this shotgun shells recipe ooey-er and gooey-er. 
• Use a smoked cheese. If you want to add even more smoky flavor without setting up a smoker, you can use a smoked cheese in place of the sharp cheddar. Smoked cheddar or gouda would both be great choices. 
• Don’t skip the wire rack. A wire rack (the kind you cool cookies on) set on a rimmed baking sheet is a simple trick that helps make foods crispy when baked in the oven. The openings in the rack allow air to circulate and keep moisture and grease from accumulating under the food so it can crisp up.

Serving Suggestions

I pair this shotgun shells recipe with additional barbecue sauce for dipping, but Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing would also be a crowd-pleaser. Serve these alongside other party appetizers like Everything Bagel Pigs in a Blanket and Million Dollar Dip.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• Refrigerator: While this baked shotgun shells recipe is best enjoyed right away, you can transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Place the cooled shotgun shells in a freezer-safe, airtight container or freezer bag with parchment paper between the layers if you need to stack them. They’ll keep well for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
• To reheat: Warm leftovers in an air fryer or the oven at 350ºF until the filling is heated through.