The present disclosure relates to method for drying hydrogel comprising nanofibrillar cellulose, the method comprising providing a hydrogel comprising nanofibrillar cellulose, providing polyethylene glycol, providing trehalose, mixing the hydrogel, the polyethylene glycol and the trehalose to obtain a mixture, and freeze drying the mixture to obtain a dried hydrogel comprising nanofibrillar cellulose. The present disclosure relates to a freeze-dryable hydrogel comprising nanofibrillar cellulose, to a freeze-dried hydrogel comprising nanofibrillar cellulose, and to a medical hydrogel comprising nanofibrillar cellulose and one or more therapeutic agent(s).