Regeneration of articular cartilage represents a fundamental challenge in orthopedic practice. Ideally, cartilage regeneration should include restoration of its columnar architecture with cells expressing hyaline cartilage phenotype. Current treatment modalities, such as microfracture, result in the formation of fibrocartilaginous tissue leading to poor long-term outcomes. The emergence of tissue engineering (TE) signifies the beginning of a new approach in cartilage lesion management. This approach aims to generate novel tissue that has the same histological characteristics as native hyaline cartilage. The classic TE combines cells, biological cues and scaffolds to produce cartilage tissue. Scaffolds are exogenous three-dimensional (3D) structures that support cell attachment, proliferation, and tissue formation. The use of exogenous scaffold has some disadvantages in terms of scaffold degradation and the possibility of triggering immune responses. Therefore, a new, scaffold-free direction has emerged. The scaffold-free TE aims to produce hyaline cartilage by combining only cells and biological cues without the use of exogenous material. In this way, scaffold-free TE tends to recapitulate the natural process of chondrogenesis.