Nanocellulose (NC) has attracted much interest in the tissue engineering (TE) field because of its properties including biocompatibility, renewability, non-toxicity, functionality, and excellent mechanical performance. This review mainly focused on the advanced applications of NC-based composites in hard TE including cartilage TE, bone TE, and dental TE, illustrated the processing methods for synthesizing scaffolds including electrospinning, freeze-drying, and 3D printing, reviewed the current status of hard TE, and presented perspective on the future of TE technology.