The only pasta salad recipe you'll need this summer

With its jumble of tomatoes, avocado, mozzarella and cucumber, this has all you've ever wanted in a pasta salad. Make the dish a few hours ahead so the flavors have a chance to meld — but hold off on adding the avocado until just before serving.

Serves 8 to 10.

Note: From Melissa Clark of the New York Times.

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp. minced shallot or red onion

• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

• 1/4 tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste

• 1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

For the salad:

• Fine sea salt

• 1 lb. short pasta, such as campanelle, fusilli or farfalle

• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1/2 c. sliced cucumber

• 1 lb. fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-size cubes

• 1/4 c. shaved Parmesan

Directions

To prepare the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together shallot, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in oil. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if needed.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it is just al dente, usually a minute less than the package instructions. Drain well. While still warm, add the pasta to the bowl with dressing and toss well. Let pasta cool, soaking up the dressing.

In a medium bowl, gently toss together avocado, lemon juice and a pinch of salt.

Just before serving, add tomatoes, cucumber, mozzarella and Parmesan to the bowl with the pasta, and toss well. Gently fold in avocado and basil.