Split pea soup won't soften. Any way to soften the peas without burning?

Starting with more water than you think you need, keeping the lid on for a bit and then stirring a lot while it reduces to the desired consistency should be all you need to do. Don't go far from it once it starts to thicken because it will need too much stirring.

You can cook split peas in a slow cooker, but I haven't found the softening very reliable. A fast boil before you start might help.

You can cook them in a pressure cooker. This will soften them in a relatively short amount of time. Another option is to soak them longer in advance of the cooking (for a day or so) in water, and baking soda...

I am alarmed to see a response that says to cook split peas in a pressure cooker. I use a Presto pressure cooker for many things, but its instructions are spelled out, "DO NOT COOK SPLIT PEAS." Please follow instructions for your pressure cooker to avoid a disaster in the kitchen. If after overnight soaking and cooking split peas for the normal time in the recipe, you might consider putting a portion into a blender or food processor to see if that gives the desired smoothness and creaminess.

I have cooked pea soup many times, and normally the peas soften. Bought a bag of split peas identified as Chana Dal (brand is Heer). Soaked for a day and half. Then cooked for 8 hours! still crunchy. I have heard that not all split peas are created equal. Will return to my old brand in future.

If the peas (and beans or lentils for that matter) are old, they will not soften. It is best to buy new ones. Their shelf life is about one year. If you can, try and buy from a place with a regular turn over of stock.