Oven-baked Shotgun Shells wrapped in crispy bacon and stuffed with a cheesy, meaty, spiced filling – they’re an easy appetizer that everyone will love. 

This is an image of oven baked shotgun shells sitting on a wire rack that's on a baking sheet
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The barbecue basting gives these bites a tangy, smoky taste—SO GOOD! They make the perfect savory crowd-pleaser for game day or cookouts.

If you love this appetizer and want to try more BBQ recipes, check out my Crock Pot BBQ Pulled Pork, Quick & Easy BBQ Pulled Pork Quesadilla, BBQ Chicken Baked Tacos. I love serving a bunch of these together at Football Sunday, game day, a watch party, or Super Bowl.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

I like that these don’t require pre-boiling; it makes them so simple to prepare. As a busy mom with a little one, I’m always looking for a good make-ahead recipe. Just fill them, wrap them, and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to bake!I love placing a big bowl of these in the middle of the table and watching everyone dig in. They’re such a great, shareable snack!

INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING OVEN-BAKED SHOTGUN SHELLS

Here’s what to gather up to make this recipe:

  • Manicotti shells: You’ll need a box of your favorite brand of these pasta shells.
  • Ground beef: I like to use lean ground beef in this recipe.
  • Italian sausage: You’ll need sausage with the casings removed or you can remove them yourself.
  • Onion: Finely diced or minced so it mixes easily into the filling.
  • Sharp cheddar cheese: I love the tangy taste of sharp cheddar in this recipe.
  • Cream cheese: Use softened or room temperature cream cheese so it combines easily with the other filling ingredients.
  • Jalapeno: I love the POP that finely diced jalapenos add to this Oven Baked Shotgun Shells recipe.
  • Slap Ya Mama seasoning: Just SO good! Don’t skip it.
  • Garlic powder: Adds garlicky goodness without adding extra moisture from fresh garlic.
  • Black pepper: Seasoning is key.
  • Barbecue sauce: You’ll need this for both the filling and the coating.
  • Bacon: The iconic wrapping in this Oven Baked Shotgun Shells recipe!

Ingredient quantities can be found at the bottom of the article in the recipe card

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

This is my easy process for making my Oven Baked Shotgun Shells:

Make the filling mixture

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the bacon, manicotti, and extra barbecue sauce.

Fill the pasta shells

Fill the raw manicotti shells from both ends.

Wrap the shotgun shells

Wrap each shell with a piece of bacon so that the pasta shell is completely covered.

Baste the shells

Brush the bacon-wrapped shell with the extra barbecue sauce.

Bake the shells

Bake on a wire rack (on top of a lined baking sheet) for an hour, then flip the shells over. Baste them with more barbecue sauce and bake for another 60-70 minutes until the bacon is crispy. Remove, cool, and enjoy!

HOW TO MAKE SHOTGUN SHELLS IN THE AIR FRYER

You can use an air fryer for this recipe if you prefer. Follow my recipe, but instead of the oven, cook them in the air fryer at 375°F for 18-20 minutes. Flip at 10 minutes and repeat!

SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS

You can play around with the ingredients in this easy Oven-baked Shotgun Shells recipe! 

Need to swap out a few ingredients? Try these alternatives and add-ins:

  • Manicotta pasta shells: Try making it with large cannelloni instead. For a low carb version, stuff long hollowed-out peppers with the filling. You’ll need to adjust the oven time.
  • Ground beef: You can also make these with ground turkey, pork, or chicken. 
  • Bacon: Swap regular bacon for turkey bacon or thin slices of pancetta.
  • Cheese: Instead of the usual cheddar or mozzarella, try pepper jack or smoked gouda.
  • Barbecue sauce: Use teriyaki or sweet chili instead!
  • Spices: Try adding Cajun seasoning, Italian blends or even taco seasoning.

STORAGE AND MAKE AHEAD

Get organized and make these (without baking them) up to 2 days before serving them. 

If you have any Oven Baked Shotgun Shells leftover, wait for them to cool before packing them into an airtight container. I like to layer parchment paper between them.

They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them for about 3 months and whip them out when it’s time to use them!

REHEATING YOUR OVEN BAKED SHOTGUN SHELLS

Reheat leftovers at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until warmed through.

SERVING AND PAIRING

I love to serve these with a bowl of my High Protein French Onion Dip or a homemade ranch dip.

Pair my Oven Baked Shotgun Shells with other appetizers like these Everything But The Bagel  Pigs In A Blanket or my Oven Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos.

TIPS AND PROBLEM-SOLVING

Here are 4 tips for getting yummy Oven-Baked Shotgun Shells every time!

  1. Before you commit to filling your shells – test the seasoning and flavor of your mixture. I like to pan-fry a teaspoon of the filling to check the seasoning.
  2. I recommend piping in the meat mixture rather than filling them with a spoon or your hands. Piping helps fill them even without any air pockets.
  3. Take care not to overfill your pasta shells with meat mixture.
  4. I love to freshly shred my cheese so that it melts easily in recipes like these. Store-bought shredded cheese is totally fine to use in a pinch, but I find it doesn’t melt as seamlessly because of its powdery coating.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I know when the Oven Baked Shotgun Shells are ready?

You’ll know your shells are ready when the center of the filling reaches 160°F (according to USDA) and your bacon coating is crispy and golden.

Why are they called shotgun shells?

The golden baked crunchy pasta shells look similar to real shotgun shell casings.

Do I need to boil the pasta shells first?

No, you don’t have to pre-boil the pasta shells.

OTHER BBQ RECIPES TO TRY

For more game day or watch party recipes, try one or a few of these:

This is an image of oven baked shotgun shells sitting on a wire rack that's on a baking sheet

Oven Baked Shotgun Shells

Taylor Jackzen
You’re going to love these oven Baked Shotgun Shells! Manicotti shells get stuffed with a delicious, savory mixture of ground beef, sausage, cheese and jalapeno and then smothered in a tangy barbecue sauce. The result is a crunchy, caramelized exterior with a comforting, meaty, cheesy filling.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounce box of manicotti shells
  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 pound Italian sausage casings removed
  • 1/2 medium onion finely diced
  • 1.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block) softened
  • 1 jalapeno finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
  • 16 ounce package of bacon
  • Additional barbecue sauce for coating

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 300° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place a wire rack on top of the baking sheet. Set aside.
  • Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, except bacon and extra barbecue sauce.
  • Gently stuff uncooked manicotti shells from both ends ensuring there are no air pockets. I find it easiest to pipe the meat into the shells.
  • Wrap one piece of bacon around each shell covering the length of the pasta. This will help ensure the noodle gets cooked.
  • Brush additional barbecue sauce over both sides and place on prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake for 60 minutes, flip shells over, add more barbecue sauce, and bake for another 60-70 minutes or until the bacon is nice and crispy.
  • Remove from the oven and enjoy.