It can be–add 1-2 cups of water, but start with the lowest amount of water (you can always add if it’s too dry) so the pasta can cook. As to times, I’d say 3 hrs high, 5 hrs low as minimum times. All crockpots cook differently and if you use a Ninja, that cooks faster as a slow cooker. Put the cheese on top in the last 30 minutes so it stays pliable when you serve it.